North Dingos win Rigo Rice Cup Leg 2 Challenge

The North Dingos secured the Second Leg of the KCK Rigo Rice Cup title after defeating the Hanuabada (HB) Araves with a 20-6 win on Sunday, 22 February 2026, at Bava Park in Port Moresby.

The points were hard to come by in the wet, slippery conditions. The two sides showed courage and determination in the first half, with the Dingos scoring a solo try and a 2-point penalty goal to lead 6-0 at half-time.

At the resumption, the HB Araves registered their first try, leveling the score at 6-all. However, the Dingos responded with three tries in the following sets to shut off the Hanuabada men with a strong 20-6 margin.

Both teams fielded talented players, blending youth with experience. They have been the forces to be reckoned with since the kickoff of the second leg, maintaining their dominance from the regular rounds to the finals. 

North Dingos’ Team Manager, Butler Otio, said the result was overwhelming, but admitted that they have a big challenge ahead of them: “It feels unreal. This is our first championship win in the 13s format in a major tournament, and we're soaking up every minute of the win.

“We feel like we've earned every bit of our win after weeks of preparation since December 2025, and we're enjoying it while we can because we still have a huge task ahead of us in the final leg.”

Manager Otio credited the players for their resilience in the wet conditions, adding: “My message to the players at half-time was to calm down and complete the sets without rushing the plays. Discipline with our ball security and tackling was also emphasised during the half.

“From experience, we knew Araves have the ability to come back and win, so we had to use our line speed and told the boys to aim to score and keep the pressure on the Araves all through the second half.

“With the Araves, it's never over until the referee ends the game. We stuck to our defence and backed ourselves all the way. We prepared well during the week for whatever was coming. 

“We didn't give up when the momentum seemed to shift in the opening sets of the second half. Despite the rain and the physicality of the match, we were resilient and eventually victorious in the end.”

The team manager acknowledged the team’s faith, which was the cornerstone of their success, and thanked the sponsors and the Koiari community for their unwavering support, dedicating the win to the late Ray Amos Junior.

“We would like to acknowledge the Lord for bringing us this far. We acknowledge the support of our major sponsors, Transgrid Limited, Bobby Akunaii Jr., Cartwright Kaniku, and Roselyn and Raymond Batia,” he said.  

“We would also like to thank the people of Koiari and Central Province who turned out in numbers each week to support us. We wouldn't have made it without their support. 

“We dedicate this win to the Late Ray Amos Jr, our Dingos’ forward who passed away last year.”

In the third-fourth final, the Ave RLC edged out Kibia Warriors with a 24-18 win to secure the third spot. This was a gripping contest, where Ave led 16-12 at half-time and defended their lead to hold off the spirited Warriors. 

The Dingos pocketed K10,000, HB Araves (runners-up) received K5,000, and Ave RLC (third place) settled for K3,000. Dingos, Araves, and Ave will compete in the K300,000 pool prize playoffs against the top 3 teams of each leg. 

The KCK Rigo Rice Cup Leg 2 challenge featured all Motu-Koitabu and Central teams. The Koiari men (North Dingos) have been crowned the inaugural champions of the newly introduced leg and are setting their sights on the big prize.

“Our focus now is to maintain the playing group. This group will now concentrate on our PRL team, Koiari Dobo Warriors, where we will track weekly performances, work on improving our skills, and build combinations. Basically, we will keep everyone focused and work hard until the final leg," Otio said.

PC: Rigo Rice Cup