Papua New Guinea national rugby sevens team

Last updated

Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea rugby.png
Union Papua New Guinea Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)The Pukpuks [1]
Coach(es) Aiem Pilokos [2]
Captain(s) Kunak Late
Top scorerPaul Joseph
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Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Team kit
Largest win
Papua New Guinea 62–0 Tahiti 7s
(National Stadium, Honiara; 23 November 2023)
Largest defeat
Papua New Guinea 0-64 England 7s
(Wellington; 3 February 2006)
World Cup Sevens
Appearances1 (First in 2018 )
Medal record
Pacific Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1999 Santa Rita Team
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2007 Apia Team
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2011 Nouméa Team
Oceania Sevens
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2009 Papeete Tournament
Oceania Sevens Challenge
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2022 Gatton Tournament
Samoa playing Papua New Guinea at the 2014 Commonwealth Games SamPNGComGames.JPG
Samoa playing Papua New Guinea at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

The Papua New Guinea national rugby sevens team competes in the Pacific Games, Commonwealth Games, Challenger Series and the Oceania Sevens. They finished third in 2009 and fourth in 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2023 in the Oceania Sevens. They missed out on a maiden Olympic spot after being defeated by Samoa 24-0 in the 2023 Oceania 7s Olympic Playoff. [3]

Contents

Papua New Guinea has also played the Hong Kong Sevens World Series qualifier. In the 2015 edition, they went to the semifinals, where they lost to Russia. In 2016 they lost all matches in the group phase. In 2017 they reached the semifinals.

PNG qualified for the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2014 Commonwealth Games. [4] Papua New Guinea made its first appearance at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2018, following its fifth-place finish at the 2017 Oceania Sevens Championship.

Tournament history

World Cup Sevens

Rugby World Cup 7s
YearRoundPositionPWLD
Flag of Scotland.svg 1993 Did not enter
Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg 1997 Did not qualify
Flag of Argentina.svg 2001
Flag of Hong Kong.svg 2005
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg 2009
Flag of Russia.svg 2013
Flag of the United States.svg 2018 21st playoff21st4220
Flag of South Africa.svg 2022 Did not qualify
Total0 Titles1/84220

Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games
YearRoundPositionPWLD
Flag of Malaysia.svg 1998 Plate Final10th7430
Flag of England.svg 2002 Did not enter
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2006
Flag of India.svg 2010 Bowl Final9th6420
Flag of Scotland.svg 2014 11th playoff11th5230
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2018 Group stage9th3120
Flag of England.svg 2022 Did not enter
Total0 Titles4/72111100

Pacific Games

Pacific Games
YearRoundPositionPWLD
Flag of Guam.svg 1999 FinalSilver medal icon.svg5410
Flag of Fiji.svg 2003 Plate Final5th5410
Flag of Samoa.svg 2007 Bronze FinalBronze medal icon.svg6420
Flags of New Caledonia.svg 2011 Bronze FinalBronze medal icon.svg6510
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg 2015 Bronze Final4th7430
Flag of Samoa.svg 2019 Did not enter
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg 2023 Bronze Final4th6420
Total0 Titles6/73525100

Pacific Mini Games

Pacific Mini Games
YearRoundPositionPWLD
Flag of American Samoa.svg 1997 Did not enter
Flag of the Cook Islands.svg 2009 Bowl Final6th6330
Flag of Wallis and Futuna.svg 2013 Bronze Final4th8350
Flag of Vanuatu.svg 2017 Did not enter
Total0 Titles2/414680

Oceania Sevens

Oceania 7s
YearRoundPositionPWLDRefs
Flag of Samoa.svg 2008Plate final5th5320 [5]
Flag of French Polynesia.svg 2009 Third playoffBronze medal icon.svg8440 [6]
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2010 Third playoff4th6330 [7]
Flag of Samoa.svg 2011 7th playoff7th7331 [8]
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2012 Plate Final5th6420 [9]
Flag of Fiji.svg 2013 Plate Final6th6240 [10]
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2014 Plate Final5th6321 [11]
Flag of New Zealand.svg 2015 Third playoff4th6330 [12]
Flag of Fiji.svg 2016 Third playoff4th6330 [13]
Flag of Fiji.svg 2017 5th playoff5th6420
Flag of Fiji.svg 2018 7th playoff7th5230
Flag of Fiji.svg 2019 5th playoff6th5320
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2021 did not attend
Flag of New Zealand.svg 2022 withdrew [14]
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2023 Olympic Qualifying Final4th6420
Total0 Titles12/147237332

Oceania Sevens Challenge

Oceania 7s Challenge
YearRoundPositionPWLD
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2022 FinalSilver medal icon.svg5320

World Rugby Sevens

World Rugby sevens series

The Pukpuks Sevens have participated as an invited team to selected tournaments across 10 seasons on the world series circuit since the inaugural season in 1999–2000. Historically, they have participated in 18 tournaments particularly the New Zealand Sevens (2000-2002, 2004, 2008, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2018), Australian Sevens (2000, 2002, 2011, 2017 and 2018), Fiji Sevens (2000), Japan Sevens(2000) and the Hong Kong Sevens (2002). To date, Papua New Guinea have played a total 127 matches accumulating 237 tries and 1507 points overall. Their best all-time season finish is 12th placing from the inaugural season in 1999-2000.

World Rugby Sevens Series record
SeasonRoundsPositionPoints
1999–00 4 / 1012th8
2000–01 1 / 90
2001–02 3 / 110
2003–04 1 / 80
2007–08 1 / 80
2010–11 2 / 80
2011–12 1 / 921st3
2014–15 1 / 921st1
2016–17 2 / 1018th2
2017–18 2 / 1017th6

Player records

The following shows leading career Papua New Guinean players based on performance in the World Rugby Sevens Series. [15]

Tries scored
No.PlayerTries
1 Paul Joseph 29
2 Albert Levi 12
Kevin Vitolo 12
4 Henry Liliket 9
Aiem Pilokos 9
Willie Tirang 9
Points scored
No.PlayerPoints
1 Paul Joseph 291
2 Albert Levi 80
3 Kevin Vitolo 70
4 Henry Liliket 47
Raymond Yauieb 47
Matches played
No.PlayerMatches
1 Paul Joseph 33
2 Douglas Guise 29
3 Eugene Tokavai 25
4 Montgomery Diave 20
Gairo Kapana 20
Henry Liliket 20
Kevin Vitolo 20

World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series

Papua New Guinea have appeared in every edition of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series since the inaugural season in 2020. This was through qualification for being one of two highest ranked non-core World Rugby Sevens Series teams from the Oceania Sevens Championship.

World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series record
SeasonRoundsPositionPoints
2020 2 / 211th16
2022 1 / 111th
2023 2 / 29th9
2024 3 / 3

Current squad

Previous squads

Squad to the 2023 Pacific Games :

Players
Derrick Voku
Emmanuel Alfred
Benjamin Boas
Benson Hayai
Benjamin Kennedy
Mhustapha Kura
Kunak Late
Kadum Mais
Richard Mautu
Shaun Ongapa
Edward Ramit
Jacky Winas

Squad to the 2023 Oceania 7s :

Players
Derrick Voku
Emmanuel Alfred
Benjamin Boas
Benson Hayai
Benjamin Kennedy
Mhustapha Kura
Kunak Late
Kadum Mais
Richard Mautu
Shaun Ongapa
Edward Ramit
Jacky Winas

Squad to the 2022 Oceania 7s :

Players
Derrick Voku
Emmanuel Alfred
Benjamin Boas
Benson Hayai
Benjamin Kennedy
Mhustapha Kura
Kunak Late
Kadum Mais
Richard Mautu
Shaun Ongapa
Edward Ramit
Jacky Winas

See also

Related Research Articles

The Papua New Guinea national rugby union team, nicknamed the Pukpuks,, played its first international in 1966, defeating Vanuatu 47–3. Papua New Guinea have not so far qualified for a Rugby World Cup. They participated in the Oceania World Cup qualifying tournaments for the 2007, 2011 and 2015 World Cups, but did not qualify.

The Fiji women's national rugby union team are a national sporting side of Fiji, representing them at rugby union. They played their first test against Samoa in 2006, and compete annually in the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. In 2022, they created history when they scored the third-highest points in both Men's and Women's Rugby at the Oceania Championship when they trounced Papua New Guinea 152–0. They made their first Rugby World Cup appearance at the delayed tournament in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Oceania</span>

Sport in Oceania varies from country to country. The most popular playing sport for men in Australia is Australian rules football, while for women is netball. Australian rules football is the most popular sport in terms of spectatorship and television ratings. Rugby union is the most popular sport among New Zealanders, while in Papua New Guinea rugby league is the most popular. While, Cricket is the most popular overall sport in Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oceania Rugby Women's Sevens Championship</span>

The Oceania Rugby Women's Sevens Championship is the regional championship for women's international rugby sevens in Oceania. The tournament is held over two days, typically on a weekend. It is sanctioned and sponsored by Oceania Rugby, which is the rugby union governing body for the region.

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The Papua New Guinea Rugby Football Union, or Rugby PNG is the governing body for rugby union in Papua New Guinea. It was established in 1962 and was affiliated to the International Rugby Board in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanuatu Rugby Football Union</span>

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The Papua New Guinea women's national rugby union team played their first international against Fiji in 2016. They compete annually in the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship, and have not qualified for the Rugby World Cup as yet.

Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship is an international women's rugby union competition contested by women's national teams from Oceania. The current Champions are Samoa who claimed their first Oceania title at the Championship in Australia. Fiji has won the most titles with three.

The 2019 Oceania Sevens Championship was the twelfth Oceania Sevens tournament in men's rugby sevens. It served as the regional qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Sevens and was held at ANZ Stadium in Suva, Fiji on 7–9 November. A competition for deaf teams was also included as part of the 2019 Oceania Sevens.

Fatima Rama is a Papua New Guinean football and rugby player. She played as a forward in football for the Papua New Guinea women's national football team. She has also represented PNG in rugby sevens and fifteens.

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The 2022 Oceania Sevens Championship was held in Pukekohe, New Zealand on 24–26 June 2022. The event was the fourteenth Oceania Sevens tournament in men's rugby sevens. The competition was the final official tournament for Oceania Rugby national teams ahead of the Commonwealth Games Sevens in Birmingham. It was played as a double round-robin format at Navigation Homes Stadium. New Zealand won the tournament, with Australia VII Selection as runner-up.

The 2022 Oceania Women's Sevens Championship was held in Pukekohe, New Zealand on 24–26 June. It was the eleventh edition of the Oceania Championship in women's rugby sevens.

Fulori Nabura is a Fijian rugby union player.

Ilisapeci Delaiwau is a Fijian rugby union player.

Merewalesi Rokouono is a Fijian rugby league, rugby union and sevens player. She competed for both Fiji in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup at rugby league and for Fiji in rugby union at the 2021 Rugby World Cup. She signed with the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2023 NRL Women's season.

Ema Masi is a Fijian rugby union player.

References

  1. "Sport: Late coaching change disrupts PNG sevens team". Radio New Zealand International. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  2. "Pukpuk 7s coach steps down". 8 June 2022.
  3. "Samoa and Fijiana 7s qualify for 2024 Olympic Games". Radio New Zealand . 13 November 2023.
  4. "Aussies to face England in sevens". Australia: ABC News. July 2010.
  5. "Oceania Sevens women's final". Oceania Rugby. 2008. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015.
  6. "New Zealand claim Oceania Women's Sevens Championship". Oceania Rugby. 2012. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013.
  7. "New Zealand claim Oceania Women's Sevens Championship". Oceania Rugby. 2012. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013.
  8. "New Zealand claim Oceania Women's Sevens Championship". Oceania Rugby. 2012. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013.
  9. "New Zealand claim Oceania Women's Sevens Championship". Oceania Rugby. 2012. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013.
  10. "Women's Sevens Statistics – Day 2" (PDF). Oceania Rugby. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2013.
  11. "Fiji and New Zealand win the Oceania Sevens". IRB. 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. "Australia and Fijiana Win Places at 2016 Olympic Games Sevens". Oceania Rugby. 2015. Archived from the original on 15 November 2015.
  13. "Australian women win Oceania rugby sevens". Special Broadcasting Service. 12 November 2016. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017.
  14. "PNG withdraws from Oceania 7s, focused on HSBC Challenge". 22 June 2022.
  15. worldrugby.org. "Stats Centre | HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  16. "PNG takes part in Challenger Series". 12 August 2022.
  17. "PNG takes part in Challenger Series". 12 August 2022.
  18. "PNG takes part in Challenger Series". 12 August 2022.