Brothers defend Douglas Guise Cup, remaining undefeated after Round 5

The Kramer APAC Brothers edged out the Moni Plus Nova with a 15-12 margin in Round 5 of the Pepsi Capital Rugby Union (CRU) Men’s Premier Division to retain the Douglas Guise Cup and maintain their pole position on Saturday, 30 May 2026, at Bava Park. 

Established in 2024, the Douglas Guise Cup is contested annually between the Brothers and Nova, with both teams coming together to honor the late Guise’s legacy, whose rugby journey connected the two clubs. 

The annual fixture heated up over the weekend between the two rivals, with both teams showing grit and determination to not only win the cup but also honor Guise’s colorful legacy in the gripping match.

A physical first half saw the current Cup holders, Brothers, score two tries with one successful conversion, while Nova bagged a converted try, trailing the men in black by 5 points (12-7) at half-time.

Both sides lifted their tempo in the second half, with the Brothers managing to slot a 3-point penalty goal, whilst the Moni Plus-sponsored Nova registered a try and nailed a successful conversion, but fell short by 2 points. 

The Kramer APAC-backed team not only retained the Douglas Guise Cup but also remained undefeated in the competition after CRU’s round 5, sitting first on the ladder with 19 points and reminding the competition about their premiership pedigree. 

Douglas "Dougie" Guise dedicated almost two decades to rugby union, playing from 1999 to 2017 and representing Papua New Guinea in both the 7s and 15s competitions, respectively. 

He was a talented player who could play multiple positions, including fullback, fly-half, and scrum-half. Known as a fierce competitor on the field and a natural leader, he was one of the game's great rugby minds.

His club journey took him through the Harlequins, University Piggies, Brothers, and later Nova, where he played an important role in helping establish the club (Nova) and mentoring the next generation of players.

After hanging up the boots, Douglas Guise continued to serve the game as coach of the PNG Pukpuks 7s program, guiding the national team to its historic first-ever Rugby World Cup 7s appearance in 2018.