Defending champs look to 9s finals

By BENJAMIN KOITAKA
THE Mineral Resources Development Company-sponsored Port Moresby Rugby League (PRL) Nines defending champions Tarangau set for the finals after the opening weekend.
The MRDC 9s tournament started on Friday with Taragau winning their opening three games.
Tarangau saw off out-of-towners Balimo Swamp Dwellers 18-8 in their third game at the National Football Stadium Oval 2.
Tarangau scored a try in the first minute but the invitational team built some pressure to level the score.
Both sides traded four-pointers and went into the halftime break 8-8.
Tarangau added 10 points in the second stanza to keep their perfect record at the tournament so far.
Tarangau president Joe Yamson said the team was not getting over-confident despite knocking off their first three teams.
He said the club would use the week to mend and get their game in order so they could start well in their first finals fixture on Saturday. “We started really well winning our first three games but we’re not going to get too confident,” Yamason said. “There were no injuries and the areas didn’t do well in will be looked at this week.
Yamason said Tarangau’s team two did well winning two games and losing one.
He said consistency would be the key for their teams.
“We’ll rise up to the challenge and hopefully win games next week and get to defend our title,” Yamason said.