Young Sharks contracted players Nikora Williams and Riley Pollard will be in Papua New Guinea as members of the Australian Schoolboys team on the same weekend the senior PM’s XIII matches are scheduled to be played.
From Endeavour Sports High School, Williams is set to team up with Pollard, a new Sharks recruit from St Dominic’s College, in the Australian Schoolboys team to take on the Junior Kumuls at the Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby on Sunday, with the men’s and women’s PM’s XIII matches scheduled for Saturday.
Williams is an outside back who enjoyed a strong season playing in the centres for the Sharks Matthews Cup team in 2023, while Pollard is a highly rated half-five eighth who comes to the Cronulla club from the Panthers where he was a member of their SG Ball team earlier this year. Pollard was presented with the Panthers SG Ball team’s Emerging Talent Award at their 2023 presentation event.
The pair were selected for the Australian Schoolboys following standout performances in the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League 18 Years National Championships played in Brisbane earlier this year.
Pollard was a member of the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges team which defeated Williams’ NSW Combined High Schools team in the championship final.
Williams and Pollard will both be eligible for the Sharks SG Ball team in 2024.
The games are the first international fixtures featuring Australian teams to be played in PNG for five years.
The PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) announced 12 teams will participate over the two-day carnival, with PNGRFL CEO, Stanley Hondina, delighted to see the games return after a lengthy absence.
“For the first time in the history of the PM’s XIII matches, there will be 12 teams playing 6 games over 2 days, something that’s never been done before and we look forward to welcoming all our fans over the two days,” said Hondina.
Sharks NRL stars Nicho Hynes and Cam McInnes will represent the Australian PM’s XIII, with Quincy Dodd a member of the Women’s PM’s XIII team.
While the senior matches are on Saturday, on Sunday fans will be treated to the up-and- coming stars going head-to-head, with the Defence Men the final match of the day.
The schedule for the weekend is as follows;
Saturday 23rd September 2023
12pm: Defence Women – PNGDF Vs ADF
2pm: PM’s XIII Women
4pm: PM’s XIII Men
Sunday 24th September 2023
12pm: Junior Orchids Vs Australian School -Girls
2pm: Junior Kumuls Vs Australia School Boys
2023 Australian Schoolboys Team
1 Mutua Brown (The Cathedral College Rockhampton / Cowboys)
2 Luke Laulilii (Westfields Sports High / Tigers)
3 Logan Aoake (St Francis Xavier College Hamilton / Knights)
4 Wilson De Courcey (Patrician Brothers Blacktown / Panthers)
5 Nikora Williams (Endeavour Sports High / Sharks)
6 Lachlan Galvin (Westfields Sports High / Tigers)
7 Riley Pollard (St Dominics College / Sharks)
8 Kaiden Lahrs (Kirwan SHS / Cowboys)
9 Xavier Cacciotti (Erindale College / Raiders)
10 De La Salle Va'a (Marcellin College / Roosters)
11 Jezaiah Funa-Iuta (Patrician Brothers Fairfield / Eels)
12 Jacob Halangahu (Patrician Brothers Blacktown / Dragons)
13 Finau Latu (Patriician Brothers Blacktown / Dragons)
14 Heath Mason (St Gregorys Campbelltown / Tigers
15 Cody Hopwood (All Saints College Maitland / Knights)
16 Loko Pasifiki Tonga (Endeavour Sports High / Dragons)
17 Logan Spinks (Farrer Memorial Agricultural High / Bulldogs)
18 John Fineanganofo (Redcliffe SHS / Dolphins)
Lead photo - Nikora Williams
