NRL rocked after child killed chasing Australian team bus at PM’s XIII match in PNG

3 hours ago 3

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A young child was killed in a road accident after the match between the Prime Minister’s XIII and Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on Sunday.

The child was believed to be among a group of rugby league fans who chased after the Australian team bus when he was struck by the team’s security detail in a nearby vehicle.

Fans at the match between the PM’s XIII and PNG in Port Moresby on Sunday.

The vehicle was not being driven by an NRL representative, but rather someone working for the private security company entrusted with escorting the teams in and out of Santos International Stadium.

Sources with knowledge of the incident who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the players’ bus was not the vehicle that collided with the child. The accident occurred out of the sight of the players, who are believed to be unaware of the incident.

The incident happened on the same day PNG prime minister James Marape revealed the PNG Chiefs as the official name of the team set to enter the NRL in 2028 as the competition’s 19th franchise.

NRL players are adored by rugby league mad PNG locals who regularly camp themselves outside the team hotel in the hope of catching a glimpse of their heroes. It is common for local residents to chase after the team buses before and after games.

The incident has rocked those connected to the game. This masthead was in Papua New Guinea over the weekend as a guest of the NRL and only became aware of the fatality on Tuesday afternoon, having returned to Sydney the night before.

This masthead has attempted to contact local authorities for comment. The NRL has also been approached for comment.