| Sports |
Muruks survive punches and brawl to
beat Hagen Eagles
By ANDREW ALPHONSE and SENT TIMBI
MABEY & Johnson Mendi Muruks absorbed several punches and an
all-out brawl to defeat Besta Mount Hagen Eagles 20-6 at Kagamuga
showground in Mount Hagen yesterday.
Play was disrupted for several minutes on three occasions in the second
half when unhappy Eagles players started attacking Muruks with dangerous
and illegal tackles.
In one incident, an Eagles player was sin-binned by referee Nelson Koim
for booting a Muruks player in the face following a high tackle on an
Eagles player.
A few minutes later Muruks centre Jonathon Wagano was on the receiving
hand of some punches and kicks as he laid helplessly on the ground after
being charged at with fists and punches by Eagles players following
another dangerous tackle Wagano made on an Eagles player.
As tempers flared, the match was held up for several minutes before
match officials intervened and called the captains together.
PNG National Rugby League chairman and Mendi Muruks sponsor Tom Higgins,
who was present to watch the game, was not impressed with the
unsportmanship attitude of both sides.
However, captains Francis Ray (Eagles) and Joseph Omai (Muruks) appealed
to their troops and brought the situation under control to end the game
peacefully. The Eagle’s camp also was unhappy with some of the decisions
of the referee that went against them.
In the game, rising Muruks star and centre Mathew Puke put on a
man-of-the-match performance with three tries to enable the premiers to
win their second game of the season.
Puke scored two unconverted tries in the first stanza while Eagles
winger Ham Tee getting the only try of the game for the home team to
trail 4-8 into the break.
In the second half, both sides received penalty points to their
scoreboard before Wagano scored for the visitors to extend their lead to
14-6.
The next part of the game was marred with brawls before Puke who was
just outstanding picked up his third of the afternoon to enable Muruks
to win 20-6 with lock Malachy Owen collecting the extra two points.
 
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