Papua New Guinea National Rugby League


The Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition is a semi-professional rugby league competition held annually in Papua New Guinea. Changes in sponsorship have meant it was Formerly known as the SP Inter-City Cup or SP Cup and later the Bemobile Cup. The current competition is sponsored by pacific telecommunications giant Digicel and new co-naming rights sponsor ExxonMobil which joined in 2023 and so it is currently called the Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup.
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History

Previous to 2005 the PNG NRL was called the SP Inter-City Cup. The national competition was known as the SP Cup, and has been held since 1990. No competition was held in 2004 due to financial problems and province violence in certain provinces. But the competition returned for 2005 season as the new-look PNGNRL.
The 2005 season had eight teams in total from all around Papua New Guinea. In 2006, one team got relegated to make way for two new teams, Central Raiders and Pagini Warriors. The inaugural winner of the competition was the Agmark Gurias who beat the Brian Bell Bulldogs in Port Moresby.
In 2009, local mobile telecommunication Company, Bemobile, took over from SP Brewery as the competitions major sponsor. Currently 9 teams compete in the competition.
On February 9, 2011, telecommucations company Digicel who has taken over the industry in PNG since its operation started in 2007, announced that it will be sponsoring PNG's premier sporting event for the next five years.

Sponsorship Names

  • SP Inter-City Cup –
  • Bemobile Cup –
  • Digicel Cup –
  • Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup --

Performance by team

TeamWinRunners UpWinning yearsRunners Up years
Rabaul Gurias682001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2012, 20151999, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2022
Goroka Lahanis551993, 1999, 2010, 2011, 20181994, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2023
Port Moresby Vipers521990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 20131993, 2005
Mendi Muruks441996, 2006, 2007, 20081995, 1998, 2010, 2012
Lae Snax Tigers412016, 2017, 2019, 20212020
Mt Hagen Eagles341997, 1998, 20241990, 1991, 1992, 2008
Hela Wigmen322014, 2020, 20222019, 2024
Lae Bombers221995, 20021997, 2003
Enga Mioks222000, 20232009, 2018
Mendi Menjals102004
Waghi Tumbe012021
Popondetta Butterflies012004
TNA Simbu Lions012015
Simbu Warriors011996