PNG’s Pukpuk rugby team take on Manu Samoa
The PNG team tarin in Apia. photo Samoa Observer
Moves in preparation. photo Samoa Observer
Getting used to Apia. photo Samoa Observer.
After a winning clash with the Cook Island last Saturday, the Papua New Guinea’s Pukpuk rugby team will now face the Manu in two games for the World Cup qualifier.
The first match will take place at the Apia Park this weekend followed by another match the week after at Port Moresby for one of the teams to secure a spot in Rugby World Cup in 2011.
According to Pukpuk coach, Billy Rapilla, the game against the Manu will not be easy but is looking forward to it with the hope his boys will gain experience from one of the super force rugby nations. “We’ve had a couple of good games against Cook Island but we’ve had a couple of changes due to injuries. There is a replacement from PNG to replace one of our props who broke a collar bone last week but I believe we can play well,” said Rapilla.
Rapilla is however aware of the fact, the Manu will be a hard side to beat but hopes his team will gain experience from a test playing nation and take away the positives. “If our boys are disciplined, minus the errors we will be okay. Our strength is in the backline so if the forwards give them the opportunity, it’ll give them (backline) a chance to expose themselves,” said Rapilla with a chuckle.
Despite being the underdogs this weekend, Rapilla feels they will have massive support for their last game with the Manu when they play at Port Moresby in front of a home crowd. Rapilla added that, apart from Gairo Jr, he was quite happy with how well the team pulled up after Saturday and going into this weekend. “We want to basically limit our mistakes and get a solid start against Manu Samoa first up. We want to, as much as possible, avoid their strength especially in the set pieces,” Rapilla said. “We want to really do well in contact areas, gain advantage and play to our strengths.”
Having been in, or been a part of the role in, two World Cup campaigns, Rapilla acknowledged that Manu Samoa would not be a park walk but, at the same time, not an impossibility.
Leading the Pukpuk side this Saturday is lock Willie Rikis who has played in the last four World Cup qualifiers for Papua New Guinea.
The best that the Pukpuks had gone was in the 2003 World Cup qualifiers, where the team advanced against Cook Islands and lost to the then last-placed of Test playing Pacific nations, Tonga, on home and away matches.
Source: Samoa Observer