Blues beat Maroons in Morata State of Origin

By HENRY MORABANG
M2 BLUES sent their coach Yanga Harupa into retirement with a gusty 10-6 win over M1 Maroons to clinch the 2007 Morata State of Origin rugby league clash at Kone Tigers Oval in Port Moresby.
Harupa was the man behind Blues victories in the past three years. The Patron’s Club will now rest with Harupa and his boys
The Morata 2 coach was lost of words after the win but achieve what he has planned in the last three years – bow out as winning coach for the Blues.
In the opening half, both teams tried all the avenues to score points but could not cross the line as the defence were rock solid for a scoreless half.
In the second half, coach Harupa instructed his boys to allow backline players running off from the dummy half.
The instructions was well followed resulting in fullback Kevin making extra man in attack score the first points for the Blues. Winger Wesley Jeffrey raised the flag for a 6-0 lead.
As the game seasawed, Maroons started to retaliate when halfback David Kapi sent Eki Ene for the four pointer to trail. Kapi ensured the flag are up to level the score at 6-6.
Ten minutes before fulltime, Blues regrouped to send their skipper Mathew Puka as he piggy-backed a Maroon defender over the tryline to seal the match for his team 10-6.