ATW Falcons secure NCDRU junior title, complete double victory

The Air Transport Wing [ATW] Falcons have claimed the National Capital District Rugby Union [NCDRU] Under-20 title after a hard-fought victory over the Southern Chiefs at Bava Park on Sunday.

The junior final opened with intense physical pressure from both sides. Southern Chiefs missed an early opportunity to take the lead when a penalty kick attempt fell short in the opening 20 minutes.

Capitalizing on the miss, the Falcons maintained composure, dominating territory before crossing for the match’s sole try in the 24th minute.

Falcons Under-20 captain Obed Wii praised his squad's resilience, noting that defensive discipline in the second half secured the championship.

“It was a really tough match, but we worked hard after scoring that try before half-time,” Wii said. “Our coach instructed us to focus entirely on maintaining our defense in the final 30 minutes, and that execution helped us secure the title.”

The squad is comprised of youths from the ATS 1 block in Port Moresby who competed throughout the season at the Bomana Police College [Kerepia] oval. Wii acknowledged the community's financial sacrifices and support in getting the club established.

“Our team started as a sevens side after being encouraged by a local family member to take up rugby union,” Wii said. “To raise our registration fees, the boys did grass cutting across the community. Moving from a sevens team to winning the 15-a-side season title is a major achievement for us.”

The U20 victory spearheaded a dominant day for the club, as the ATW Falcons Senior Men’s team later defeated the Blue Heelers 28–13 in the Premier division grand final, sealing a clean sweep of the 2026 NCDRU season titles.