Pukpuks, Palais given welcome

By MARTHA DERUAGE
PAPUA New Guinea’s men’s and women’s sevens sides were given a welcome reception by the PNGRFU and its sponsors yesterday after their efforts at the Sevens World Cup last week in San Francisco, USA.
PNGRFU interim board Ben Frame commended the teams for being good ambassadors.
The Pukpuks finished 21st in a field of 24 teams while the women finished 15th in a field of 16.
The Pukpukd recorded a 31-14 win over Tonga to earn their placing but their 52-7 win over Jamaica in the Bowl placement match was their biggest win.
“Both teams should be proud of themselves and their performance and for representing PNG. We are proud of you and thank you all for your effort,” Frame said.
“Both teams have put the country on the world map.
“They have being great ambassadors in the sport and for the country as well.”
Pukpuks captain Manu Guise was PNG’s highest scorer with 39 points — he scored three tries and kicked 12 conversions.
“It was all about playing for my country, playing for my family and being the highest points scorer came as a surprise,” Guise said.
“Playing against the best players in the world was great.”
For the Palais, nippy Chelsea Garesa scored two tries and impressed with her speed and skills at the tournament.