Paraka to debut for Qld

By HENRY MORABANG
ALL eyes will be on Queensland Reds as three Papua New Guinea-born players take the field against the Waratahs on Saturday.
The Super 15 rugby competition kicks off on Friday.
The most notable one would be Queensland and the Australian Wallabies halfback Will Genia who is definite starter while fellow Papuan Aiden Toua will have to work hard to win a spot in the match day 22.
Interestingly, the Queensland A side  which is a the Queensland Reds development team will feature young Western Highlander Pettowa Paraka who will don the Reds jersey for the first time against the Waratahs in the curtain raiser.
TSS director of rugby Adrian Blundell, when contacted about Paraka’s prospect in the game, said that Paraka’s former school, TSS, was proud of his rugby achievements.
“He was a student with us here (TSS) from the juniors, and has been part of the family here in Gold Coast,” he said.
Blundell said Paraka has developed into a solid loose-head prop with good scrummaging skills.
However, he was a ‘late developer’ after playing most of his junior rugby in “C” level teams.
“Pettowa worked very hard in the gym and with his skills,” Blundell said.
Paraka has very good rugby credentials having played for Queensland U16s in 2009 and rising through the age levels in 2010  and 2011.
He played in the GPS representative team where he made the Queensland U18 squad.
In 2010, Paraka was the member of the GPS premier side, TSS 1st XV and kept on playing in the team up to last year.
Last year, he was selected a member of the Australian Schoolboys team that defeated New Zealand schoolboys 29-19.
Blundell said Paraka’s speed and high skill level were his strengths.
“For one game last year, he started at inside centre and was our goal kicker, rather than his usual loose head prop.”
A proud Blundell said apart from Paraka there would be a total of 13 TSS boys playing for Queensland and the A side against the Waratahs for the opening round of Super Rugby.
Other TSS players in the Reds side are James Slipper, Rob Simmons, Scott Higginbotham, Jono Lance, Ben Tapuai, Luke Morahan and UJ Seutini.
Slipper, Higginbotham, Simmons and Tapuai are cuurent Wallabies.
TSS players in Queensland A are Paraka, Mitchell Wade, Jack Kimmonce, Jarred Butler, Sean Cox and Simon Morahan.
Paraka’s family will fly to Sydney to cheer for him.
Elated father Paul Paraka said the whole family was proud of Pettowa’s achievement.
“To make the Queensland state side (U18), and then picked for the Australia schoolboys team is amazing, and to be drafted in the national academy in Ballymore was a bonus for Pettowa,” Paraka senior said.
Paraka said to make the Queensland (U20) team and then win a spot in the starting XV was a great effort.
The next step is to make the Junior Wallabies which will be announced in May.