16/08/2026
Rugby has been around for a long time, and both young and old people in PNG understand and love the game. What happened during the match was unfortunate, and the situation should not be blamed on the Lahanis players or management.
The main reason supporters became angry was because they felt the referee was not controlling the game fairly. Many supporters believed several decisions were wrong and that this affected the match. The referee may have been doing his job, but the decisions made during the game caused frustration among the crowd.
However, that does not mean violence is acceptable. Our Lahanis players and management were not involved in provoking the violence. In fact, they stepped in to protect the match officials and prevent the situation from becoming worse.
Vipers and Lahanis played a strong and exciting game. It was a good contest between two teams. Congratulations to the Vipers team and management on the win. Letβs speak with facts, respect the game, and stop blaming the Lahanis players and management for something they did not cause.