The Morobe Rugby Football Union (MRFU) is now ready to send its rugby 7s team, the Hammerheads, to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville next Thursday after securing a K15,000 sponsorship today.
The funding was made possible through a local construction company, FTM Construction Ltd. The team will now be called the FTM Hammerheads.
The 12-man team will join the other provincial teams to compete in the annual Black Orchid 7s tournament in AROB.
MRFU president, Avea Hiarua, said the team was preparing for the tournament without any financial assurance earlier this year with hopes of still making it to the competition in July.
This is the first year the association will send in a provincial team.
Hiarua said such financial backing by a local firm is the kind of support the association needs to boost the morale of the players in the province.
The 12-man team comprising two officials will be under the direction of the team coach, Aiem Pilokos.
Most of the FTM Hammer Heads players were part of the winning team last year in Port Moresby during the PNG 7s championship.
FTM Construction has also assisted the MRFU junior development program in the province and with more willingness to support local competitions.
Most of the business houses turned down the request to sponsor them due to the economic crisis the country is facing.
