Boas stars for Hunters

By ISAAC LIRI
ASE Boas scored two tries, one in each half, to lead the SP PNG Hunters to a 24-12 win over the Sunshine Coast Falcons in their round 16 Q-Cup match at the National Football Stadium yesterday.
The Falcons were their own worst enemies making several costly errors in the second half that led to Hunters’ tries
Hunters coach Michael Marum, commended his side for their gritty defensive effort in the second half which saw them score three tries off Falcon errors.
“It’s bit hard to play constructive football when you play a side like the Falcons,” Marum said.
“In the first half we were all over the place, we didn’t follow our game plan but in the second half we managed to follow our game plan.
“Our tries in the second half came from errors but also from good pressure by our defence; to get up from the line and meet them, we did well to force them into those errors and get the points.”
The Falcons had the better of the exchanges against a flat Hunters outfit in the opening half and led 6-0 after back-rower Jacob Hinds crossed in the second minute.
The Falcons led for most of the half, repelling several Hunters sets in their 20m before Boas sliced through some tiring defence in the 33rd minute giving the 6718 fans at the NFS something to cheer about as the sides were locked 6-6 at halftime.
Hunters fullback Wawa Paul scored his side’s second try in the 51st minute backing up a Nixon Put break off a Falcons error which Watson Boas converted to add to a 45th penalty for a 14-6 lead.
The visitors responded with 20 minutes left on the clock with winger Illiesa Ratuva Jr catching cross field kick by halfback Rhys Jacks to narrow the margin to 14-12 after No.1 Ryan Papenhuyzen nailed the sideline conversion.
Continuous errors by the Falcons gave the home side more opportunities as skipper Boas scooped up another loose ball to run 40m and score under the uprights with brother Watson added the extras to give them an eight-point buffer with 15 minutes remaining.
No.11 Put capitalised on a fumbled pick up by Ratuva in the 70th minute.
Boas failed to convert but the home side had a 24-12 lead which they held to the final whistle.
Marum added that the PNG Kumuls win last week had been a motivating factor heading into the Falcons match.
The win is the first of a five-match streak at home.
“We want to take one game at a time and hopefully we win all these five home games to put us in a better position for the finals,” Marum said.
PNG Hunters 24 (Ase Boas 2, Nixon Put, Paul Wawa tries; Watson Boas 3con, pen) Sunshine Coast Falcons 12 (Jacob Hind, Junior Ratuva tries; Ryan Papenhuysen 2 con).
Round 16 Results: Sat, June 30 – Ipswich Jets 24 Wests Tigers 26, Norths Devils 24 Souths Logan Magpies 22, Northern Pride 13 Townsville Blackhawks 10, CQ Capras 20 Mackay Cutters 6; Sun, July 1 – Burleigh Bears 34 Tweed Heads Seagulls 16, Redcliffe Dolphins 50 Wynnum Manly Seagulls 18, PNG Hunters 24 Sunshine Coast Falcons 12.