Palais set for HK 7s

By HUXLEY LOVAI
THE PNG Palais rugby 7s team have finalised their 12-member squad that will leave the country tomorrow for the Hong Kong 7s women’s tournament from April 6-7.
PNG is placed in Pool C with top seed South Africa, Colombia and Italy.
The Palais are among 12 women’s teams who will be playing for a core team status on the HSBC World Rugby Women’s 7s Series 2017-18.
The tournament will take place at the So Kon Po Stadium starting on Thursday, with the semi-final and final taking place the following day at the Hong Kong Stadium.
The team was named following three weeks of training under coach John Larry, who hopes to build on the encouraging performance put in by the team during the Sydney 7s tournament in February.
Larry told The National that a major concern for the team would be discipline on the field, stating that careless attitudes had put unnecessary pressure on the team at crucial moments of their matches.
“Due to the girls’  ill-discipline, we had players sent off for dangerous tackles,” Larry said.
“We were finishing games a player down and this allowed our opponents to ran away with the game.”
The women’s 7s coach will be expecting another stellar performance from Joanne Lagona, whose outstanding display of skill and pace saw her included in the team of the tournament at the Sydney 7s, a first for a PNG women’s rugby player.
The Palais will be further boosted by the return of Debbie Kaore and the inclusion of Queensland-based Melanie Kawa, who has been named captain.
The PNG Palais: Melanie Kawa (c), Casandra Sampson (vc) Kymlie Rapilla Joanne Lagona, Mavis Mitaharo, Freda Waula, Fatima Rama, Cathy Puro, Taiva Lavai, Helen Abau, Debbie Kaore, Teresila Rema.