After returning from the Sydney 7s and the Hamilton 7s, the PNG Pukpuks are back in vigorous training.
With a number of events coming up including the Commonwealth Games and the HSBC Hong Kong 7s next month, there will be no rest for the PNG outfit until they get there.
After starting off this year with strong performances at the Sidney 7s and the Hamilton 7s last month, the PNG Pukpuks look to make their mark again in Hong Kong later this month.
And with the Commonwealth Games and Hong Kong 7s happening within close proximity, the Pukpuks squad will be seeing new inclusions from a number of provinces in the country.
Of the events they will be attending, the Hong Kong leg of the HSBC tournament is the most crucial, as it will also be the qualifier for them to get into the world circuit.
And training has been ongoing and strenuous, taking into account, key improvement areas for the outfit
“Thanks to the Melanesian Trust Services, they’ve sponsored our trip to Fiji Marist 7s so we have a warm-up tournament there where we can engage our players and see who best fits for Hong Kong (which would be our stronger team because it’s the world qualifiers)”, revealed Guise.
The coach added that another team will be put in for the Commonwealth Games (first week of April), as it is the week after the Hong Kong 7s.
Though in these economic times, this national team needs all the financial help it can get.
Coach Douglas Guise even made a general appeal on behalf of all the other sporting codes whose national teams have big events coming up this year and would need all the support they can get.
“Like I keep saying, the boys just need a bit of a support, we don’t really need big money, we just need enough to sustain us”, said Coach Douglas Guise.
The coach added, “I think some of our boys should be recognized for their efforts especially over the last two weeks in Sydney and Hamilton, beating France 35 – nil (that was a big achievement with France being a World Rugby Superpower).”
“ There should be more support given to other sporting codes as well, and not only rugby union, even Netball ( Pepes) have their World Championship Qualifiers in Auckland in April, the Hebou PNG Garamuts just went for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, so I think we should look at the bigger scope of sports in PNG, moving forward”, said Guise
“I believe we have potential to be a great sporting nation,” Guise added.
