Gazelle take Trukai NGI 9s

GAZELLE Skowhegan Dragons came out winners in the Trukai New Guinea Islands 9s Challenge defeating Kimbe 16-6 at Kalabond oval in Kokopo yesterday.
The two-day tournament which kicked off on Saturday saw the cream of rugby league in the region come together to showcase their talents.
Home team Gazelle was the first to score through a try from captain Pidi Togap with a successful conversion by Israel Elias to lead 6-0.
Kimbe equalised after Kim Nakas scored a try for which was then converted by Tony Ponda.
This proved to be their only try in the final.
Before the break  Gazelle’s Elias Puaria scored an unconverted try for a 10- 6 advantage.
After the break both teams played strongly but could not breach the other’s defence.
What could have been a try for Gazelle went begging when they dropped the ball at the Kimbe try line.
In the dying minutes of the game, a break by Gazelle’s Elias Roboam  10m from his own line set up Elison Daplin to run in the last score of the game and give the Dragon’s a  16- 6 victory.
In the other games, Kokopo Marlins beat Kavieng Gold 16-12 in the plate final and in the bowl final Bialla defeated Lihir 18- 8.
Gazelle bagged the K6,000 major cash prize with the cup while Kimbe as runners-up got K3,000.
Kokopo Marlins received K2,500 and Kavieng Gold got K1,500 and in the bowl, winners Bialla received K1,000 and Lihir went home with K500.
Player of the tournament and top points scorer went to Gazelle’s Israel Elias, top try scorer to Kimbe’s Leo Tikot Jr and man-of-the-match awards went to Melly Warit (Bialla) in the bowl final, Gabriel Lowa (Kokopo)  in the plate final and Roboam (Gazelle) in the cup final.
Trukai officials together with tournament organisersdescribed the tournament as a success and East New Britain provincial government committed K10,000 towards the tournament next year.
Meanwhile, NGIP Agmark’s John Nightingale also announced a 25-man train on squad for the Gurias.
Other sponsors that made the tournament a success were NGIP Agmark, SP Brewery, Coca-Cola Amatil, bemobile, Garom Ltd and Security Assistance Services PNG.