The annual Rookie Sevens Tournament held over the weekend saw five teams from outside centres attend the four-day tournament that started on the 14th-17th December. Among these teams was the Unitech Reds boys from Lae who competed in the Under 20 division who travelled over with Head Coach John Milba, Assistant Coach and Head Trainer, Darren Maino, and the Team Manager Wimban Bieso. The Unitech Reds Assistant Coach and Head trainer, Darren Maino stated that the Rookie 7s was a great way for outside teams to expose their young talents in their province. “I think the Rookies tournament is a great way for outside centers such as ours because back in Lae.” “We don’t have an Under 20 Division where we get to expose our young talents playing in the overall competition like the Morobe Rugby Football Union competition back in Lae.” Maino said that most of the young boys that play in the team are playing in the A grade and Senior Men’s Divison and that was because the boys were exposed to that higher level of rugby. “All our boys have been exposed to that higher level of rugby so when they play in their own age groups as you’ve seen over the weekend.” Maino said two of their players are twenty years old, who have just finished this year playing in the grand final in the MRFU tournament with the Tent City Lights which were back top back grand finalists, so it was a boost for the team. According to Maino, the team had initially begun to train for the Rookies tournament in the first week of November, undergoing a very gruesome training. “Our main focus in Lae was training. Here in Pom our focus is on playing and winning our games.” “We had the support of our reds family in Port Moresby and how they went out of their way to organize and meet all our challenges, so they made it easier.” Due to the age vetting process by the tournament managers, the team had to drop on of their players due to the fact that he had turned twenty-one within the last week of training and another player due to the passing of a family member. After topping the U20 Division by winning all three of their games, the Unitech Reds unfortunately bowed out of the competition in the Cup Semi-Finals on Day 4 of the competition. He further added that the bond and the chemistry between the boys was strong on and off the field because they had been playing together for a year. “They’re all in the same schools and they grew up together, so the bond is strong on and off the field.” Meanwhile Maino thanked the Lord for all His Blessings and also for making it possible for the team to travel and bring exposure to their young talents. “We’re so thankful for our families here in Pom and in Lae as well. We didn’t get the win, but we’ll come back stronger next year.”