PNG is set to host two international sporting tournaments in Port Moresby ñ the inaugural Air Niugini Sevens Rugby Tournament and the international kickboxing challenge . PNG versus Rest of the World this weekend.
The IRB sanctioned Air Niugini Sevens Rugby starts today and will end tomorrow while the Kickboxing is set for Sunday at Sir John Guise Indoor Complex.
While both events are enjoying good publicity and hospitality, the Fiji women rugby team think otherwise.
The team was very concern about the safety of their players and have been billeted at the Fiji High Commissioner Ratu Isoa Tikoca’s residence since arriving on Monday. They moved to their hotel ñ Gateway Hotel on Wednesday.
Team manager Vela Naucukidi said training has been confined within the hotel vicinity.
“We’ve restricted our training around the hotel premises because of the increased crime rates around Port Moresby,” she said.
“We’ve yet to receive the tournament draw and regulations but our first game is on Friday (today),” Naucukidi said.
Despite the hot and humid weather conditions, this has failed to dampen the spirits of the Fijiana Women’s rugby team gearing up for the Pacific Sevens tournament.
Coached by Elenoa Kunatuba, the side underwent two sessions beating the heat at Port Moresby yesterday and team manager Vela Naucukidi said players were all psyched up for the tourney.
“The weather here is really unbearable but morale is high amongst these girls and they’re raring to take the field on Friday (tomorrow),” Naucukidi said.
“Expectations are high and the girls need to perform and by the looks of things, the team is all set and fit to take the heat head-on,” she said.
The injury-free side braved the hot and strong ground condition as they focused on clustering the best combination yesterday.
“Even the training grounds are really hard and I think that’s why the organisers had selected the rugby league ground for the tourney since it has sprinklers,” Naucukidi said.
Samoa and Niue joined their Fijian counterparts at the hotel yesterday for the much-awaited IRB funded tournament.