U20s eye Fiji tourney

By Francis Rodney Pulu, The National 




TWENTY-six players will be making their debut in the Pukpuks Under-20 rugby squad that leave tomorrow for the Oceania Youth Trophy in Fiji from November 27 to December 5.




Only four countries are taking part in the inaugural event and a 30-man Pukpuks train-on squad are currently in training in Port Moresby before the team will be trimmed down to the final 26 after the players are put through their medical checks today.

Assistant coach Sydney Wesley said the players would use the championship to qualify for the World Junior Trophy in Portugal next year and the only two teams that the team had to overcome in order to qualify were the tier-two nations, Fiji and Tonga.

“It will be tough playing against Fiji and Tonga, who dropped from the first-tier based on their performance at the previous World Junior Championships,” Wesley said.

He said even though it would be challenging, the team would rely on the services of senior and experienced players, who had played in the recent Oceania Cup in Port Moresby three months ago, and the members of the Turagus sevens team that took part in this month’s tournament in Singapore.

“The men will rely on the services of the members of the Oceania Cup-winning team, who are based in Brisbane, in the likes of Bradley Kelegai, Richard Aitsi, Zion Reto, newcomers Jimmy Gissua, Shane Auakai and local players Foster Maso and Ezekiel Daoko,” Wesley said.

“We have two members of the Turagus team in Robin Loma and William Tirang and these are the players that the team will be looking up to,” he said.

He said the players would be making their debut at this level.

Wesley said the squad were dominated by players from outside the nation’s capital as there was no competition in Port Moresby last year due to the Pacific Games facilities upgrade.

The Pukpuks will play their first game on Friday against Fiji, Tonga on Tuesday and the final game will be on Saturday against Vanuata before they return home the following Monday.

The players were selected from Brisbane, Lae, Capital Rugby Union, Madang and East New Britain.

Squad: Ezekiel Daoko, Lindsay Yobone, Zion Reto, Foster Maso, Dylan Au, Shane Auakai, Bradley Kelegai, Ricky John, Robin Loma, Richard Aitsi, Eliud Oseah, James Gissua, Simon Tom, Lai Robert, William Tirang, Samuel Mape, Jordan Kuno, Jamie William, Joe Moke, Caleb Mora, Andre Karere, Charles Avira, Bruno Tuaki, Graham Karepa, Jonah Tikiong, Eugene Ivankin, Brian Singut, Yaling Ansep, Daniel Gorea, Julius Maiks.

Source: The National, Tuesday 24 November 2015

Link: http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/98573