PNG Pukpuks went down to world champions South Africa in their first match at the HSBC Sydney sevens tournament.
PNG Pukpuks were pooled against the toughest teams of the HSBC world sevens series, including South Africa and England.
PNG Pukpuks have come into this HSBC Sydney sevens series with nothing to lose. These guys have earned their spots in the world sevens series circuit fair and square.
The defending champs, South Africa, played like the real champs they were in the first half, putting three tries on the Papua New Guineans in quick succession.
The Blitzboks backed their first half up with a dominant second term, including a first World Series try for rookie Stedman Gans.
Rosko Specman was the star of the show, scoring a hat trick with relative ease over the PNG side, handing the Pukpuks their first Sydney sevens loss.
South Africa obviously showing an early flex of muscle from the undisputed team to beat.
In their second match of the tournament, Pukpuks fared a little better, Manu Giuse running in a try for the PNG side against the highly fancied England team.
PNG held on to finish off the match with a loss to England 35 points to 5 in the men’s HSBC Sydney sevens tournament.
Pukpuks will be playing Spain at 6pm (PNG time) today.
(South Africa’s captain fending off a PNG defender on 26th January, 2018. Photo credit: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby)