Games double for 7s team Source: The National, Wednesday December 24th, 2014 NEXT year’s Pacific Games will double as a World Rugby Sevens Series qualifier for Papua New Guinea. Outside of winning a medal, the Pukpuks, who qualified for two tournaments – Wellington and Hong Kong – this year after their fifth place finish at October’s Oceania Cup in Noosa, Queensland, have the opportunity to qualify for the full World Series with a fifth-place finish in Port Moresby at the July 8-9 tournament. This would be the first time for a national sevens side to make the World Series. PNG Rugby Union operations manager Sailosi Druma said the stage was set for the national side to make a return to the big stage of international sevens after several years in the wilderness. “We did well to qualify for two World Rugby Sevens World Series tournaments, Wellington (Feb 6-7) and Hong Kong (March 27-29) at Noosa, but if we finish fifth at the Pacific Games, that will enable us to qualify for the whole World Series,” Druma said. PNG beat Tonga 22-17, American Samoa 32-17 and finished ahead of the Cook Islands to claim fifth spot at Noosa. He said despite the inclusion of Australia and New Zealand at the 2015 Pacific Games, fifth spot would most likely be a dog fight between PNG, Tonga and Cook Islands. New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Samoa are expected to account for the top four spots leaving the Pukpuks an opportunity to claim fifth spot — a chance Druma said was well within PNG’s capability. “We’ve beaten Tonga and Cook Islands in the past and there is no reason why we can’t do it again at home next year.” A desired result at the Pacific Games would see PNG invited to the 2015-16 World Series, which would comprise (nine) tournaments in Australia, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, New Zealand, USA, Hong Kong, Japan, Scotland and England. But the World Series is not the only carrot dangling for the Pukpuks in 2015. According to Druma, the national sevens side has the opportunity to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. “We have to finish as the fifth best side at the Oceania 7s in November, which is an Olympic qualifier, next year with Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and Fiji to be the top four countries in the World Series standings for the 2014-15 season. “That will allow Oceania to be granted one more qualifying berth for Rio and we hope to be that fifth team if everything goes to plan.” The national squad: Hubert Tseraha, Dondon Kais, Buttler Morris, Max Vali, Wesley Vali, Terence Uvau, Stanis Susuve, David Susuve, Karo Kauna Jr, Eugene Tokavai, Clement Arthur, Hensley Peter, Henry Kalua, Leo Tikot, Henry Liliket, Clint Kut; Fereti Verebula (coach), Billy Rapilla (manager).
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 05:53:59 +0000
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