PNG Pukpuks head coach Douglas Guise admits it was a much improved effort from the boys in Hamilton at the HSBC sevens.
Apart from the nervous start and getting schooled against South Africa, Coach Guise says Pukpuks competed well against all core teams, culminating with a good win against France.
Coach Guise says the team’s performance at the recent HSBC Hamilton 7s proved that systems can work and compete against the best in the world.
He revealed it was tough playing with 9 men on the last day of the tournament in Sydney and 11 men in Hamilton, New Zealand, with key players missing through injury.
“But I was really proud how the boys coped with these adversities,” stated Guise.
This will give the team great confidence going to the Hong Kong qualifiers as the Pukpuks may be up against rugby powerhouses Japan and Ireland, and well backed teams of Hong Kong, Uganda, Chile and Germany.
Pukpuks showed at the Hamilton 7s that defensively they have gotten better and can attack from anywhere on the park but tighten up on set pieces, especially lineouts and kick-offs.
As well as competing well at the Commonwealth games and ultimately the world cup in San Francisco in July, the PNG Pukpuks need good preparation support to keep team members in Port Moresby for the next 6 months for these world-class tournaments.
(Picture courtesy of World Rugby)