Mad Gauns triumph

 By JOHN PANGKATANA

MADANG reign supreme in the Lae Trans Highway Sevens.

The Sigma Construction Mad Gauns caused a major upset by beating champions Pacific MMI Kimbe Rebels 17-5 to win the Cup in heavy conditions at the SCRUM Oval on Sunday.

Madang won K5,000 for their efforts.

The underrated Mad Gauns were even a player down in the final and still showed enough courage to deny the Rebels any opportunity of fighting back.

Retired Papua New Guinea representative 400m runner Geoffrey Bai was a major stand-out over the two-days, as he showed some of his younger counterparts a thing or two.

His long-time partner in crime Jacky Tokom, ever consistent Tobby Toally, plus players to watch out for in Samuel Waulas, Donald Kais and speed­ster Anthanius Igas have brought some pride to Madang rugby with the win.

Toally and Waulas scored a try each in the win.

In the pool matches they beat Sappers 32-0, lost to Lae Harlequins 14-12, beat Lae Pirates 26-0, beat Morobe Development squad, which included PNG sevens skipper Douglas Guise in the cup quarterfinal, then returned the favour to the Harlies in the cup semi before progressing to the final.  

The Madang outfit that has been progressing well over the years as a core sevens playing centre, has surprisingly no representative players to be proud off. This victory over the classier Rebels outfit should by now be sending signals to national selectors to at least start considering their players.

Madang rugby stalwart Steve Komes said the victory was just reward for the players who had put in the extra time and effort following their PJ Sevens win last month.

“We want to be recognised at the top, which is why we, as the management, are putting in the extra hard yards to develop the players,” he said.

Komes said the Mad Gauns had been progressing well in recent times and had been a regular thorn in the side of the Rebels in recent tournaments.