Nines gold

 By MALUM NALU

PAPUA New Guinea asserted its claim to rugby league supremacy in the Pacific with a 38-10 win over Samoa in the nines gold medal playoff at the Sir John Guise Stadium yesterday.

Tonga edged out Fiji 16-14 for bronze in an at times aggressive encounter.

In front of a parochial hometown crowd, the star-studded PNG Hunters’-dominated side rode roughshod over Samoa, to put the icing on the cake to two-day tournament which it ruled from beginning to end.

They were then feted as national heroes with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill presenting them their gold medals.

Player-of-the-tournament Wartovo Puara Jr opened the PNG account in first minute and there was no stopping them.

An ensuing brace of tries from tall winger Bland Abavu and Ase Boas made it look as if the hometown heroes were going to put on another big score as they led 18-0 at the break.

Puara’s magic set the stadium on fire at resumption with a quick try to put the issue beyond doubt 22-0.

Down, but not out, Samoa strongly through hard-working forward Michael Rasmussen to trail 22-4.

Backrower Israel Eliab found the line again for PNG and with the extras from winger Thompson Tete, were up 28-4.

Samoan fullback Leia Saofaiga scored a centre try which he goaled himself to trail 28-10  but there was no stopping the indomitable PNG machine with two more tries from back Rex Yallon and Teteh, to add what was already a foregone conclusion.

“It was a good performance by all the players,” a beaming PNG coach Michael Marum said after the game.

The tournament’s All-Star team named after the grand final: Ase Boas, Gahuna Silas, Israel Eliab, and Wartoto Puara Jr (PNG), Etika Rokubuli (Fiji), Ionataga Tino (Samoa), Vahai Nau (Tonga), Chedyn Mani (Cook Islands), and Tino Tingiia (Solomon Islands).