Jarome Luai and Brian To'o received two welcomes as they touched down in Port Moresby with Toa Samoa - one from the local Samoan community who turned up to greet the World Cup team and the other from PNG fans excited about the pair's decision to call their country home from 2028.

As Samoan music blasted from a boombox, dancers in traditional dress performed and leis were placed around the necks of players upon their exit from Jacksons International Airport, PNG fans held up signs, chanted the names of Luai and To'o and presented them with handmade bilums.

The pair are in town to play for Samoa in Saturday's sold out IRL Rugby League World Cup 2026 match against the Kumuls, but their arrival coincided with the launch of the PNG Chiefs logo and jersey on what was arguably the busiest day in PNG rugby league history.

“It feels amazing and it’s amazing to see some Samoan flags,” Luai said.

“We are here for the World Cup so we have a job to do, but to be welcomed by the local Samoans is pretty special.

“You can hear them before you see them. Hopefully the boys enjoyed that welcome and the boys can take that in their stride.”

To’o was equally taken by the hero's welcome.

“It was pretty cool, you can hear all the chants and local support,” he said.

“The welcoming for us boys at Toa Samoa is massive for us, really grateful to be here and be amongst these great people.”

For To'o, it was his first experience of Papua New Guinea but it hasn't taken long for the star winger to feel a connection to his future home. 

“It already feels like I have been here for a very long time, it feels like home,” To’o said.

The reception was hard to miss, with locals turning out in numbers to welcome the Toa stars as they arrived in Port Moresby.

To’o committed to the Chiefs without having visited Papua New Guinea after consulting Luai, but his first experience of the country has not only boosted his excitement about Saturday's World Cup match but what lies ahead.

“Beautiful people, beautiful place, very blessed and honoured to be in this area right now,” he said.

“Seeing how much it meant to the people, that’s what really got me over and I really want to not only change their lives, but they can help change mine as well.”

The pair were prepared for the excitement surrounding the new PNG Chiefs jersey, with their phones flooded with images of the black, white and gold colour scheme as soon as they switched off airplane mode after landing in Port Moresby.

Both players are set to wear the jersey when the NRL’s newest franchise enters the competition.

“It’s special to know I will be wearing that in 2028 to represent the jersey and also the people and the nation,” To’o said.

“It was popping up everywhere on the plane when you turn airplane mode off, that’s all that comes up,” Luai said.

“Me and Bizza were sitting behind each other. We nudged each other and said, ‘How cool is this?’

“It encapsulates what PNG is about, rich in culture, the colours are awesome and hopefully the people love it just as much as we do.”

For now, however, the focus is firmly on Samoa’s World Cup campaign, with Luai declaring that the Toa had a stronger team now that when they reached the final of the last tournament in 2022.

The match will also give Luai a first-hand look at one of his future Chiefs teammates, with Kumuls playmaker Gairo Voro earning comparisons to the Samoa five-eighth.

Luai, who has watched the young playmaker, is looking forward to the challenge of facing him before they link up in 2028.

“I have seen a lot of footage of him and how exciting he is as a player,” Luai said.

“I know he’s compared to me a lot but in his own right, he is his own great player. It will be a good personal challenge for myself.”

Luai knows Samoa will have their work cut out against a dominant Papua New Guinea side, with the Kumuls familiar with the conditions and the passionate support behind them.

“Very strong and they are tough to beat in their home town. They know what to expect and they know how to adapt to these conditions that NRL players aren’t used to,” he said.

And as news broke that injured Kumuls star Cooper Bai had also flown into the country to tour the facilities of the PNG Chiefs, Luai said the club’s blend of star recruits and local talent will be the ideal combination for the team.

“They have that balance of recruitment and that balance of home-grown talent, which is what Papua New Guineans want to see.”