By HENRY MORABANG
TELIKOM PNG Kumuls need to play disciplined football to stay competitive in the remaining two matches to complete the tour of Wales and France.
Speaking by telephone from France, coach Adrian Lam said the two remaining games are against the President’s XIII on Wednesday (Thursday morning - PNG time) and the Test match on Saturday (Sunday morning – PNG time).
Lam said his players lacked discipline which led them to cause too many fundamental errors and losing the game against France A side – 38-26.
“I am really disappointed with the result, but proud of their performance despite missing two forwards Trevor Exton and Nicko Slain through injury in the opening half of the matches,” he said.
The Kumul coach said the boys must learn not to make silly mistakes such as dropping balls or give-away in tackles.
However, considering the team playing for the first time as a unit, Lam commended the Kumuls for putting up a good fight against the experienced France A side. The majority of players in the France A side are contracted to Super League clubs in England.
Lam said the Kumuls were leading by 10 point at one stage of the match, but had to surrender the lead because of silly errors.
“Dropping the ball from the kick-off was a great letdown for the Kumuls team which was the turning point,” he said.
The coach said the boys have improved in the last two matches regardless of the results, but they need to keep improving if the Kumuls want to be competitive in next year’s World Cup in Australia.
He said silly mistakes have cost them dearly and if they want to be competitive, they need to play a disciplined football – meaning, cutting down on the number of mistakes.
He singled out hooker Paul Aiton, Charlie Wabo and James Nightingle as those who stood out when the going got tough for the Kumuls, after Trevor Exton and Nicko (Slain) went out in the opening half.
“We were without muscle in the second half but the boys kept in their cool to stop the French onslaught,” he said.