By Lorraine Genia – EM TV Sport, Port Moresby
The PNG Rugby Football Union has confirmed their team to travel to Fiji, for the 2015 Oceania Rugby Junior Trophy this weekend.
The 26-man squad will travel under the stewardship of Robin Tarere as coach, and Sydney Wesley as assistant coach.
The team consists of players from Australia, Goroka, Madang and the majority from the Morobe Schoolboys team.
They’re young, and many of these players have never been heard of, but you will have to familiarise yourselves with many of these faces as they are the next lot to come through to the PNG Pukpuks jersey.
The U20 Pukpuks contingent is a selection of the finest schoolboy reps from all four regions, as well as the inclusion of five Australian based boys.
Robert Lai Junior and Jammie William have been selected from the Goroka Rugby Football Union, William Tirang from the East New Britain Rugby Football Union, Joe Mocke and Andre Tarere from Madang, and 10 players selected out of the Morobe Schoolboy’s rugby comp.
With such versatility in the playing group, who are yet to play alongside one another, Robin Tarere says his focus will be instilling a unified culture within the team.
Tarere believes with the majority of players from the Morobe Union, a lot of experience can be shared amongst the group as many have consistently featured in provincial tournament.,
As well as this, many in the squad have been a part of the game since the inception of an under 17 tournament in Morobe.
Tarere will be placing little pressure on the boys to return with extravagant results, as he has indicated these young men will be using the tournament as an introduction of the team to the region.
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