Pettowa called into Australia U20s

 By HENRY MORABANG

AUSTRALIA Under-20 rugby coach Adrian Thompson has rated Papua New Guinean Pettowa Paraka as a huge potential to progress through to the Wallabies ranks.

In an email to this paper, Thompson, who is currently forward coach at the Brisbane National Academy said the Baiyer River lad from Western Highlands is a promising player and has the potential to make the starting Australia U20 rugby team.

Thompson is currently preparing his U20s which young Paraka is a member of to face Ireland in their opening match tomorrow.

He said Paraka is a valuable member of the U20s travelling squad that is currently in Vannes in Brittany on the Altantic coast of France for the June 5-23 IRB Junior World Championships.

This will be Paraka’s second appearance in the championship. 

Last year, he made his debut in the similar tournament for Australia in South Africa.

“Pettowa is a promising player who needs to keep focusing on his fitness and general skills to see him through different rugby stages for Australia,” he said. 

The 19-year old who is a member of the National Rugby Academy was named in the squad after an impressive performance against Papua New Guinea where the U20s won a trial match 72-12 in Brisbane last month.  

He was one of five changes made to the original squad replacing the injured Siotame Kavapalu

He is currently a member of Australian Rugby Union’s National Academy and was a member of the ARU National Gold Squad – a national development programme for high school students.

The Australian U20s will play New Zealand, Ireland and Fiji in their pool.    The U20s finished eighth last year and hoping to finish higher this time around.