Rugby pair off to New Zealand for training

By SALLY POKITON
UPNG journalism student
TWO outstanding rugby players have been sponsored by Digicel PNG to undergo special skills training at the International Rugby Academy in New Zealand.
Pukpuk 7s players  Christopher Kakah and Billy Torea will undergo special skills training under the high performance players’ course from Jan 29 to Feb 17 at the International Rugby Academy in Palmerston North.
The three-week programme will include intensive skills training on the field and inhouse tutorial courses facilitated by specialist coaches and position-specific specialists.
PNG Rugby Football Union board vice-president Robert Nilkare said the players were picked from the Pukpuk 7s team.
He said they would be ambassadors for rugby and sponsors Digicel PNG.
Nilkare said the support would groom young players for representative duties in the future.
“Such sponsorship will create awareness in PNG about the code and raise awareness among young children.
“It will inspire them to play well and could secure high performance training in New Zealand to raise the level of rugby at the professional level and attract big companies and franchise,” Nilkare said.
Digicel PNG operations director Lorna McPherson said the two players’ overall performance and attitude towards the game earned them the support.
She said it was the first time in PNG for a communications company to initiate such sponsorship in rugby union.
McPherson said it would give them the opportunity to undergo training in an elite rugby academy overseas.
Kakah and Torea will leave for New Zealand next Friday.