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Sports |
A historic draw
PNG XIII fight back to level score
with Aussies
By DAVID KAPI and AAP
THE Papua New Guinea Prime Minister’s rugby league side
surprised the visiting Australian prime minister’s XIII by
surging back from 20-0 down at halftime to salvage a 24-24 draw
yesterday at Lloyd Robson Oval in Port Moresby.
After the game, at Lloyd Robson Oval, Kumuls coach Adrian Lam
said it was the PNG national side’s best result against
Australia and a special day for PNG.
Australian coach Mal Meninga said it was hard to fault his
players’ efforts but the Kumuls just kept coming, perhaps aided
by a torrential downpour in the second half.
Australia dominated most of the first half but were put under
pressure by some strong late surges close to the line by the
Kumuls, though PNG failed to score.
As expected in the first half, the Australian looked comfortable
as they dominated PNG side with quick play the balls and set
plays to make inroad into PNG territory at will.
Their efforts paid dividend as classy half-back Scott Prince
directed his troop around the park for debutant front rower Luke
Douglass to register the first four pointer and other rookies in
Joel Monaghan and winger Chris Lawrence to cross over for his
double in the space of 12 minutes, feeding off captain Mark
Gasnier. Kurt Gidley, converted two tries from four attempts.
The home team, urged on by the Lloyd Robson crowd tried hard,
but the Aussies brushed off desperate PNG attacks in the last 13
minutes of the half and hung on a 20-0 lead at halftime.
In the second half PNG were more fluent in their attack and
muscled up in defence as they cut out Aussie big men in
three-man tackles and completed their sets of sixes to keep the
visitors in their territory.
Good field possession made possible with brick wall defence paid
off as PNG captain and half-back Keith Peters grubber kick was
fumbled near the Aussie red zone for front rower Nigel Hukula to
dive under the posts.
With the raining pouring down, PNG narrowed the deficit by eight
in the 18 minutes of the half with individual brilliance from SP
Cup player of the year fulll-back Menzie Yere, as he chipped
over the Aussie defenders, picked up and ran 20 metres to put
the ball down between the uprights to trail 20-12.
The celebrations were short lived when centre Michael Monaghan
scored his double and Australia’s only points of the half.
PNG skipper Keith Peters did it all again himself, a chip kick
which bounced favourably for him to land it under the black dots
to narrow the gap to 24-18 after Gimapau Keimelo raised the
flag.
With 12 minutes left on the clock Jessie Joe brought the house
down when he picked up a loose ball close to the try line and
stepped by three defenders and socred under the post for Keimelo
converted to level the score 24-24.
After the match, Lam said the Kumuls had beaten every other
playing nation in the world but today’s draw was the side’s best
ever result against Australia.
 
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