Sports Tok 7s Needs Support to Host 9th Edition

Excitement is already building as the annual NiuPower Sports Tok Rugby Union Sevens prepares to stage its ninth edition this year, scheduled for April during the Easter weekend in Port Moresby, National Capital District.  

Since its inception in 2018, Sports Tok 7s has grown from strength to strength over the last eight years, slowly gaining prominence to become a premier seven-a-side event in Port Moresby and nationwide.  

The number of participating teams has increased every year. The teams that take part in the tournament are not only Port Moresby-based, but also outside centers bring in teams to compete for national glory.

A total of 54 teams took part in last year’s tournament, with the number expected to increase this year. The divisions span across Open Men’s and Women’s, including the Under 20s. The registration opened last week and will close on February 25. With limited spots available, regular teams and newcomers are rushing to register and secure their spaces.

Last year’s champions, Fiji’s Devo Babas, have already hit the ground running in anticipation of defending their title in the nation’s capital. The Babas came out firing on all cylinders in their first appearance last year and took the elusive silverware to the ‘Soft Coral Capital of the World’.  

Besides the Devo Babas, an Australian side and a Solomon Islands team have shown keen interest in partaking in the 2026 edition. The participation of overseas teams, especially Australia, will elevate Sports Tok 7s' profile to an international standard. 

Tournament Chairman Benson Upas mentioned that although he and his organizing committee look forward to hosting the highly anticipated tournament, they need additional support to back the growing event.

“We really want the Fijians to come back. We still have our platinum sponsor (NiuPower), but we need some support sponsors - maybe one or two - to meet the expenses of the visiting teams from abroad,” Upas said.

"The Fijians are preparing to come. We also have interest from Australia and the Solomon Islands. If we can have more sponsors to bring in overseas teams, it will be good for rugby development in the country."  

Mr. Upas urged KMHL to continue its support this year alongside NiuPower while appealing to the National Events Council to back the tournament, explaining that it is an international event that will promote PNG to the world.

He further emphasized that aside from exposing the players and creating opportunities for local SMEs to sell their products and services, the participation of Fiji, Australia, and Solomon Islands will promote sports tourism in the country.

Sports Tok 7s prides itself on credibility and honesty when it comes to the usage of allocated funds. It has a reputation for compiling tournament reports for sponsors, starting from the tournament's creation in 2018 until the conclusion of the 8th edition last year. 

The tournament began from scratch with no sponsorship for four years. Thankfully, NiuPower Limited stepped in 2022 to become the naming rights sponsor for four years, and Kumul Minerals Holdings Limited (KMHL) jumped on board as a support sponsor last year.

From 2018 to 2025, the Sports Tok 7s organizing committee had consistently presented the tournament’s financial report to the sponsors. This has been a practice for eight consecutive years, purposely to promote accountability to sponsors, as well as to the participating teams. 

After the suspension of Papua New Guinea Rugby Union (PNGRU) in September 2024, due to significant governance failures, non-compliance with directives, and administration issues with audits, Sports Tok 7s has been one of the active tournaments, apart from PNGRU's sanctioned competitions, such as the Capital Rugby Union and Morobe Rugby Union, to name a few.

Sports Tok 7s aspires to keep the code alive. Hence, Mr. Upas has called on the Government and business houses to support the event, highlighting that their sponsorship will help PNG’s rising talent to compete against some of the best 7s players in the Pacific and Oceania region.

Despite limited support, the NiuPower Sports Tok 7s has consistently delivered eight successful tournaments, creating opportunities for raw talent to showcase their skills on the international level while having fun on the field, building networks, and establishing long-term relationships.