ADF Womens Rugby Faces PNGRFL Womens XIII in Tour Match
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) Women’s Rugby League team is participating in a series of sporting engagements in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) this week, culminating in a tour match against the PNG Women’s XIII squad at Santos National Football Stadium on Sunday 15 June.
The tour will further strengthen the people-to-people connections between Australia and PNG through our shared passion for sport and rugby league.
The Australian Government continues its investment into elite rugby league pathways, creating new opportunities for women and girls in PNG. Local athletes, coaches and officials will share development session experience to further their elite athlete ambitions and highlight the pathways available to female professional athletes in PNG.
The Defence Pacific Sport Program focuses on sharing sporting expertise in the fields of training, elite athlete performance and management, coaching and officiating with our Pacific partners.
As PNG prepares to mark its 50th anniversary of independence, the tour match celebrates bonds between PNG and Australia and demonstrates the shared commitment to promote women in sports. It also prepares for a PNG women’s team to enter one of Australia’s premier state competitions by no later than 2028 and cultivate elite level pathways for rugby league in PNG.
The tour match follows an ADF sport accreditation program in PNG in March, and the Australian Government support for the introduction of a men’s NRL team for PNG no later than 2028.
President of the ADF Rugby League Association, Major General David Hafner AM CSC, said the development sessions were vital to both teams continued development.
“Australia highly values our relationship with Papua New Guinea. We share deep personal, historical and cultural ties, especially when it comes to sport and rugby league,” Major General Hafner said.
“We’re looking forward to further developing women’s participation in rugby league and greatly appreciate the invitation to play against some of PNG’s emerging talent.
“These development opportunities strengthen linkages both ways and help reaffirm our enduring commitment to our Pacific partners’ sporting relationships.”
Director General of ADF Sport, Brigadier Phil Winter AM CSC ADC, said sport helped build communities of shared experience and passion across the Pacific.
“Sport is a universal language,” Brigadier Winter said.
“The enduring values of sport – competition, teamwork and fair play – help build trust between nations and brings people together.”
The ADF Women’s Rugby League Team will play a PNGRFL Women’s XIII Squad at 1pm on Sunday 15 June at the Santos National Football Stadium. The match will be televised locally on the TVWAN Sports 2 channel.
https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/releases/2025-06-11/adf-womens-rugby-league-team-play-pngrfl-womens-xiii-tour-match