Papua New Guinea will sever ties with Oceania Rugby and look at joining Asia Rugby if they do not get clear justification for their continued suspension by the regiona body.
PNG Rugby Union (PNGRU) interim president Vincent Karawa told RNZ Pacific from Port Moresby on Tuesday that this is an option the union’s board is considering, following talks with Oceania Rugby this week.
Karawa said the PNGRU board members, and the country as a whole, were getting frustrated because there was no confirmation from Oceania Rugby on when PNG would be reinstated so that they could be involved with regional and international rugby programmes.
PNG was suspended in 2024 following concerns over serious governance, financial compliance, and tournament obligation failures.
Karawa said the new PNGRU board had worked hard to meet all the demands set by Oceania Rugby and was working on other areas, such as the repayment of a grant given to PNG Rugby in 2018.
“The PNGRU, through its board and executive members, wishes to formally advise the rugby community, provincial unions, and our valued stakeholders that we have been working closely with Oceania Rugby, World Rugby, and the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee to address the sanctions imposed in 2024,” Karawa said.
He said that with a new board now in place, PNGRU had implemented significant structural reforms.
“Central to these reforms is the establishment of a Compliance and Oversight Committee to strengthen governance, accountability, and inclusivity. This committee is comprised of respected professionals across key areas, led by Robin Tarere, the chief executive of PNGRU and chairman of the compliance committee.
“People involved are professionals that we take advice from. We are quite serious about the situation PNG Rugby is in. That’s why we are making sure that the administration is done correctly and everything is done professionally, especially in terms of accountability and transparency.
“We have engaged a compliance committee to make sure that things have run correctly for today and going to the future.”
Oceania Rugby had said in July that PNG’s reinstatement also depended on the repayment of the debt.
Oceania Rugby
Karawa said while that was a big step forward, the PNGRU board felt Oceania Rugby had not been upfront with them, which had forced the union to seriously start looking at options, including joining Asia Rugby.
He said rugby still had a lot of interest and following in the country, despite the dominance of rugby league.
“These are options that we are putting open because we are not getting any positive feedback,” Karawa said.
“They are just putting us in the loop, and not giving us a an avenue to look into, or for them to come and help.
“With the situation that we are in, we are trying to see other options available that we can engage in, because we have a country that is still pretty much interested to play rugby … we have a lot of passion for rugby.
“We cannot just keep our athletes in suspension and keep waiting for Oceania [Rugby] to give us a green light that, ‘okay, the suspension’s been lifted’.”
Grant payment
Karawa said Oceania Rugby had not really discussed the repayment of grants given to the former board and union managers in the past, dating back to 2018, something he believes is also hindering their reinstatement.
Oceania Rugby had said in July that reinstatement also depended on the repayment of the debt.
Karawa revealed the union can pay, but they needed a repayment agreement and the lifting of their suspension while the repayment is ongoing.
“They have made mention of it, but we really want to sit down and discuss further upon those outstanding,” Karawa stated.
“There are technicalities to it and and also when you look at it, it’s an international transaction, so we cannot just put in money then send it all over to them.
“There needs to be proper documents to support those outstanding, and then we can probably get to a agreement as to how we want to approach this. But that’s that’s how we see it.”
No concrete response
Karawa said since their meeting on Monday, PNGRU agreed with World Rugby, Oceania Rugby, and the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee, to submit other pending requirements by the end of the week.
This includes the new Strategic Plan and the development pathways to strengthen rugby from the grassroots level across all provincial unions.
Karawa said while they are sending in updates and documents, Oceania Rugby is not forthcoming with its response.
“We have all agreed to that, so we are giving them updates and what is to be sent to them.
“But on their behalf, they have not given us a an a concrete response, either saying that after you send those documents, this is what you do or this are our plans, no.
“They have just given us the the date set to get those documents to them.”
Karawa said PNGRU cannot just keep its athletes in suspension.
Oceania Rugby/Trina Edwards
Oceania Rugby’s statement
Oceania Rugby did not respond to RNZ Pacific’s request for clarification, but its general manager Frank Puleta said in an earlier statement issued in July that the regional governing body has continued discussions with PNG Rugby.
“World Rugby joined Oceania Rugby in November 2025 to help build an in-country solution. For the past eight months the two bodies have worked directly with local stakeholders in PNG on a structured pathway back to good standing,” he said.
“PNGRU has been part of that process throughout and has signed off on the roadmap now in place. We’ve been in regular contact with PNGRU and World Rugby throughout this process.
“There’s a roadmap agreed by all parties, and we want to see PNGRU back in good standing as soon as they meet what’s required of them.”
He said reinstatement depends on PNGRU clearing a longstanding debt and meeting governance conditions set out in the roadmap.
