Sylvester Namo of Papua New Guinea is tackled during a Rugby League Pacific Championships match against New Zealand in Sydney last month. (Matt King/Getty Images)
SYDNEY — Australia and Papua New Guinea announced Thursday that a team from the Pacific island nation would join Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) in a deal that deepens economic and cultural ties between the neighboring countries while denting China’s regional security aspirations.
Australia has agreed to provide Papua New Guinea with roughly $400 million to help launch a team in its capital, Port Moresby, by 2028, but the funds and franchise are contingent on sticking with Canberra for security.