PNG set for Darwin 7s

By KEITH PUARIA
PNG national rugby sevens team will take part in Darwin’s traditional sevens festival, the “Heineken Hottest 7s in the World” on Jan 26-27.
The final travelling 12 and the management team will be announced at a press conference scheduled for today, and may take part as the PNG Barbarians, a name that national sides have taken part under in previous tournaments.A 16-man squad were trimmed from the original 35 picked after last year’s national sevens championships and would go into camp this weekend before leaving for Darwin on Jan 24.
Kavieng duo Smith Lakas and Delhi Commonwealth Games star Eugene Tokavai were named in the reduced squad after a year out of the scene and would get their chance when camp begins this Saturday.
Coach Warren Jennings retained most members of last year’s 2012 Oceania sevens qualifiers and youngsters Butler Morris, Wesley Rooney, and Emmanuel Guise.
The two-day tournament will include Australian state and local teams and teams from overseas.
With prize money of A$67,500, the tournament ranks as the most lucrative 7s event in Australia.
The PNG squad is Dougie Guise, Albert Levi, Henry Liliket, Monty Diave, Desmond Korpok, Chris Kakah, Gairo Varo, Hubert Tseraha, Wesley Vali, Billy Torea, Tisa Kautu, Rooney, Guise, Morris, Lakas and Tokavai.