PNG eye fast start against US Hawks

THE Kumuls are focused on getting off to a fast start against the United States in their Rugby League World Cup Nines opener in Sydney, Australia, tomorrow (8.25pm kick-off).
Despite being placed in Pool A with heavyweights Australia and New Zealand, and minnows US, Papua New Guinea are backing themselves as they head into the two-day tournament at Parramatta’s Bankwest Stadium.
Coach Michael Marum told The National on Monday that the Kumuls were aiming for a fast start against the Hawks, who are ranked five places below PNG in the 13-man game.
“We are just focusing on our first game, we had a good week in Port Moresby with our training and we will have two more sessions in Sydney (yesterday and Thursday) before Friday,” Marum said.
“We don’t want to concentrate too much on other teams. We are focusing more on our game and looking forward to the US match.
“After that, we can worry about Australia and New Zealand on Saturday. So we’re taking it one game at a time.
“It will be a night game on Friday. We know the surface at Bankwest Stadium will be slippery on a drizzly night. If we can adjust to that, then we will be better off.”
Captain Rhyse Martin said the shorter format suited the Kumuls, adding that they were capable of creating something out of nothing.
“Everyone gets nervous when you’re put in a pool like that. Australia and New Zealand are top-class teams,” Martin said.
“But for us, we just have to believe in ourselves.
“We kind of second-guess ourselves sometimes.
“But over the last couple of years, we have built a positive culture going into games and that is what we need.
“Nines is different. It doesn’t matter who you’ve got standing in front of you. You’ve just got to beat them one on one. I think we will put in good performance against those teams.”