7s super coach to attend POM fundraiser

Former New Zealand Rugby Sevens master coach, Sir Gordon Tietjens, will be travelling to Port Moresby later in the year as the guest of honour and speaker at the Club Pukpuk Inc. major fundraiser.

A veteran of 22 seasons, Tietjens is regarded as New Zealand’s and the sport’s most successful coach.

He has coached well over 100 international Sevens Tournaments since taking over the New Zealand sides in 1994.

Under Tietjens, the All Blacks Sevens team has become the most successful in the world, winning four Commonwealth games gold medals, 11 HSBC World Series Sevens titles including the 2012/2013 series, and two IRB Sevens World Championship titles in 2001 and in 2013.

In 2012 he received the rare honour of being inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame, unusual for a still-serving coach and the first sevens coach to receive such an honour, and was knighted in 2013 by Queen Elizabeth.

Tietjens is currently the Samoa sevens team coach.

Author: 
Cedric Patjole