Edwin Ipape
{{short description|Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Edwin Ipape
|fullname =
|image = Edwin Ipape.jpg
|image_size =
|position = {{rlp|HK}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1999|2|2}}
| birth_place = Mt. Hagen, Papua New Guinea
| height = {{convert|175|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|91|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| club1 = PNG Hunters
| year1start = 2021
| year1end =
| appearances1 = 11
| tries1 = 3
| goals1 = 0
| fieldgoals1 = 0
| points1 = 12
| club2 = {{nowrap|Leigh Leopards}}
| year2start = 2022
| year2end = present
| appearances2 = 84
| tries2 = 39
| goals2 = 0
| fieldgoals2 = 0
| points2 = 160
|teamA = Papua New Guinea
|yearAstart = 2019
|yearAend = present
|appearancesA = 7
|triesA = 1
|goalsA = 0
|fieldgoalsA = 0
|pointsA = 4
|teamB = {{nowrap|Papua New Guinea 9s}}
|yearBstart = 2019
|yearBend =
|appearancesB = 3
|triesB = 0
|goalsB = 1
|fieldgoalsB = 0
|pointsB = 2
|new = yes
|source = {{Rugby league records|title=Edwin Ipape|id=8565}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/edwin-ipape/summary.html|title=Edwin Ipape - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org}}
|updated = 23 April 2025
}}
Edwin Ipape (born 2 February 1999) is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|hk}} for the Leigh Leopards in the Betfred Super League and Papua New Guinea at international level.{{cite web | url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/adrian-lam-leigh-sign-papua-new-guinea-star-edwin-ipape/ | title=Adrian Lam brings Papua New Guinea star to Leigh for 2022 | date=18 January 2022 }}
Career
Ipape made his international debut for Papua New Guinea in their 24-6 defeat by Samoa in the 2019 Oceania Cup.{{cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/live-scores/samoa-v-papua-new-guinea-oceania-cup-2019/381912#lineup |title=Samoa vs Papua New Guinea |publisher=Wide World of Sports |date=22 June 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.qrl.com.au/news/2019/06/16/young-gun-coates-named-in-kumuls-squad/ |title=Young gun Coates named in Kumuls squad |publisher=QRL.com |date=16 June 2019}}
Ipape was on a train and trial contract with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles as part of their 2020 pre season.{{cite web|last=Keslep|first=Simon|date=21 November 2019|title=Ipape set for trial with Manly|url=https://postcourier.com.pg/ipape-set-for-trial-with-manly/|publisher=Post Courier|accessdate=21 November 2019}} He played two games for the Manly 9s team during the NRL 9s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.seaeagles.com.au/news/2020/02/11/sea-eagles-team-for-nrl-nines/|title=Sea Eagles team for NRL Nines|date=February 10, 2020|website=Manly Warringah Sea Eagles}}
On 28 May 2022, Ipape played for the Leigh Centurions in their 2022 RFL 1895 Cup final victory over Featherstone Rovers.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/featherstone-rovers-1895-cup-final-defeat-to-leigh-centurions-gives-brian-mcdermotts-side-signal-of-their-progress-3713313/|title=Featherstone Rovers: 1895 Cup final defeat to Leigh Centurions gives Brian McDermott's side signal of their progress|website=www.yorkshirepost.co.uk}}
On 3 October 2022, Ipape played for the Leigh Centurions in their Million Pound Game victory over the Batley Bulldogs which saw the club promoted back to the Super League.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/12710793/leigh-44-12-batley-centurions-seal-super-league-return-with-deserved-win-in-championship-grand-final/|title=Leigh 44-12 Batley: Centurions seal Super League return with deserved win in Championship Grand Final|website=www.skysports.com}}
In October he was named in the Papua New Guinea squad for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.[https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/rugby-league-world-cup-2021-squad-lists/ Full list of every squad at the Rugby League World Cup 2021]
In November he was named in the 2021 RLWC Team of the Tournament.[https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/rugby-league-world-cup-2021-team-of-the-tournament-samoan-players-matt-parish-jarome-luai-mens-news-grand-final-australia-vs-samoa-news/news-story/a21b36bd8c3bf810be6953e4420220a9 Samoan domination as unlikely halfback earns No.7 jersey: WC Team of the Tournament]
On 12 August 2023, Ipape played for Leigh in their 2023 Challenge Cup final victory over Hull Kingston Rovers. It was Leigh's first major trophy in 52 years.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/66463438/|title=Challenge Cup final: Hull KR 16-17 Leigh Leopards - Leigh claim first Wembley final win in 52 years|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}
= 2023 =
Ipape played 25 games for Leigh in the 2023 Super League season as the club finished fifth on the table and qualified for the playoffs. He played in their elimination playoff loss against Hull Kingston Rovers.{{cite web|url=https://leighleopards.co.uk/leigh-leopards-2023-in-review/#:~:text=Overall%20playing%20record%3A,For%20694%2C%20Against%20580./|title=Leigh Leopards 2023 season in review|website=www.leighleopards.co.uk}}
= 2024 =
Ipape played 19 games for Leigh in the 2024 Super League season which saw the club finish fifth on the table.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/live-blog/12204/13227859/super-league-semi-finals-live-wigan-face-leigh-for-grand-final-spot/|title=Super League semi-finals: Wigan Warriors cruise past Leigh Leopards- live commentary and video clips|website=www.skysports.com}}
= 2025 =
On 24 February 2025, Leigh announced that he had signed a 6 year contract extension to remain at Leigh until the end of 2031.{{Cite web |last=Chalk |first=Ethan Lee |date=2025-02-24 |title=PNG hooker snubs NRL interest, signs MASSIVE six-year contract |url=https://www.zerotackle.com/png-hooker-snubs-nrl-interest-signs-massive-six-year-contract-219213/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Zero Tackle |language=en-US}} Ipape rejected an NRL deal to remain at Leigh.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-23 |title=Edwin Ipape's first words following bumper contract announcement as rejected NRL club revealed |url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/edwin-ipapes-first-words-following-bumper-contract-announcement-as-rejected-nrl-club-revealed |access-date=2025-02-24 |website=Love Rugby League |language=en}}
Statistics
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Pts |
| 2021
|{{leagueicon|Port Moresby Vipers|30}} PNG Hunters |11 |3 |12 |
| 2022
| rowspan="4" |{{leagueicon|Leigh|13}} Leigh Leopards |27 |23 |92 |
| 2023
|28 |8 |32 |
| 2024
|19 |6 |28 |
| 2025
|2 | | |
| |Totals
|80 |39 |156 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/v2/blog/team_member/edwin-ipape/ Leigh Leopards profile]
- [https://www.qrl.com.au/players/hostplus-cup/png-hunters/edwin-ipape/ PNG Hunters profile]
- [https://www.nrl.com/players/nrl-nines/manly-warringah-sea-eagles-9s/edwin-ipape/ Manly Warringah Sea Eagles profile]
{{Leigh Centurions squad}}
{{Leigh - 2023 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{Papua New Guinea 2021 Rugby League World Cup squad}}
{{2021 RLWC Team of the Tournament}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ipape, Edwin}}
Category:21st-century Papua New Guinean sportsmen
Category:Lae Snax Tigers players
Category:Leigh Leopards players
Category:Papua New Guinea Hunters players
Category:Papua New Guinea national rugby league team players
Category:Papua New Guinean rugby league players
Category:People from Hela Province
Category:Rugby league players from the Western Highlands Province
Category:Rugby league five-eighths
{{PapuaNewGuinea-rugbyleague-bio-stub}}