Leigh Leopards coach sends message of support to Papua New Guinea following landslide tragedy
Born in Rabaul, Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam is a proud Papua New Guinean
Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam has delivered a message of support to his home country Papua New Guinea following the tragic events which have unfolded in the nation after a landslide.
Last week, in the Enga Province to the north of the island, a landslide buried hundreds of homes in the early hours of the morning.
Up to 2,000 people are believed to have been buried alive, with desperate attempts to rescue survivors and/or remove bodies hindered by rubble which is up to 10 metres deep in places with access blocked and a lack of adequate equipment in the country.
Exact figures of casualties are yet to be established, with the remaining locals in the area now being evacuated over fears of another landslide due to further rainfall.
Adding to an already devastating tale, political tension is rife in PNG, with Prime Minister James Marape under fire for a lacklustre response to last week’s landslide, offering only a written statement to date.
RELATED: Every Papua New Guinea international to have played in Super League
Leigh Leopards coach Adrian Lam sends message of support to Papua New Guinea following landslide tragedy
53-year-old Lam himself hails from Rabaul, and represented his home nation in two separate World Cups during his own playing days.
Son Lachlan, a current Leopards star, was born in Sydney but too represents the Kumuls and pulled on their shirt in the delayed 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
Elsewhere in the Leigh camp, hooker Edwin Ipape is a Mount Hagen native and has proudly represented the nation since joining the club back in 2022, featuring alongside Lachlan in PNG’s Pacific Bowl triumph last autumn.
Super League’s connections to the nation don’t stop there, with a total of nine Kumuls starring among the British elite this term, and many clubs have sent their well wishes already on social media, including Leigh.
The Leopards take on Hull KR this weekend, and in Wednesday’s pre-match press conference, boss Lam was able to deliver his own message of support.
He told LoveRugbyLeague: “It’s absolutely devastating and something that, looking at it from afar, you just hope everyone’s okay that’s involved.
“The ones that aren’t, our love, support and best wishes are with everyone involved there.
“I’ve still got family over there, not in that area but within PNG, and the place is just devastated at the moment. It’s sad news.
“We’ll do our best here to make sure that we send our love and best wishes to everyone there and hope that everyone’s okay.”
