There will be eight million people watching Papua New Guinea take on Samoa when they clash at Leichhardt Oval.
Kumuls captain James Segeyaro says the majority of those eight million will be huddled around a handful of televisions.
Pride: PNG captain James Segeyaro with Samoa captain Anthony Milford.Credit:NRL Photos
"Probably all of them. On two or three tellies," Segeyaro said with a laugh when asked how many people will be watching in PNG. "Thats what it means. You can see from the images. Thats our country."
Representing the Kumuls clearly means the world to Segeyaro but he hasn't taken the traditional path to the captaincy armband.
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The talented Broncos recruit decided to play for the Australian Prime Minister's XIII rather than the PNG Prime Minister's XIII four years ago.
At the time, Segeyaro was unhappy with the way the officials in his birth nation treated his father, Iffysoe, in the weeks after his death. He went as far to say that he would never play for the Kumuls again.
James Segeyaro playing for PNG during the 2017 World Cup.Credit:AAP
His priorities have changed since then. Time seems to have healed those wounds and Segeyaro will captain his country tomorrow.
"To get the honour to captain the boys let alone be in the squad… obviously we have State of Origin going on this week but this is about what our culture means, what rugby league means to our culture," he said. "This is my belonging, this is where my blood lies and the jersey is more than just a jersey. Its my skin.
"To do it with your countrymen and people that you feel one with, it turns from being shy from five minutes to you love them, you love each other and you would do anything for each other.
"You go to battle for each other and thats what it is – we are going into battle for each other."
Segeyaro wouldn't divulge what changed in the two years before he switched allegiances back to his nation of birth and didn't want to discuss a recent drink driving offence, either.
"Im not here to speak about that," he said. "You can ask me about that when Im in Broncos colours.
"Im obviously very apologetic and doing everything in my power to try and make up for that. Whats done is done."
What he is happy to talk about, however, is theRead More – Source
There will be eight million people watching Papua New Guinea take on Samoa when they clash at Leichhardt Oval.
Kumuls captain James Segeyaro says the majority of those eight million will be huddled around a handful of televisions.
Pride: PNG captain James Segeyaro with Samoa captain Anthony Milford.Credit:NRL Photos
"Probably all of them. On two or three tellies," Segeyaro said with a laugh when asked how many people will be watching in PNG. "Thats what it means. You can see from the images. Thats our country."
Representing the Kumuls clearly means the world to Segeyaro but he hasn't taken the traditional path to the captaincy armband.
Advertisement
The talented Broncos recruit decided to play for the Australian Prime Minister's XIII rather than the PNG Prime Minister's XIII four years ago.
At the time, Segeyaro was unhappy with the way the officials in his birth nation treated his father, Iffysoe, in the weeks after his death. He went as far to say that he would never play for the Kumuls again.
James Segeyaro playing for PNG during the 2017 World Cup.Credit:AAP
His priorities have changed since then. Time seems to have healed those wounds and Segeyaro will captain his country tomorrow.
"To get the honour to captain the boys let alone be in the squad… obviously we have State of Origin going on this week but this is about what our culture means, what rugby league means to our culture," he said. "This is my belonging, this is where my blood lies and the jersey is more than just a jersey. Its my skin.
"To do it with your countrymen and people that you feel one with, it turns from being shy from five minutes to you love them, you love each other and you would do anything for each other.
"You go to battle for each other and thats what it is – we are going into battle for each other."
Segeyaro wouldn't divulge what changed in the two years before he switched allegiances back to his nation of birth and didn't want to discuss a recent drink driving offence, either.
"Im not here to speak about that," he said. "You can ask me about that when Im in Broncos colours.
"Im obviously very apologetic and doing everything in my power to try and make up for that. Whats done is done."
What he is happy to talk about, however, is theRead More – Source
