Rookies take down Diggers

 By FRANKIY KAPIN

PUKPUKS speedster Albert Levi Jnr joined Alois Tolopa Jnr and Noah Siro at the helm for Matupit Diggers but they lost 19-12 to the Maltech Rookies in round two of the East New Britain Rugby Union 7s competition at the Maltech oval on Saturday. 

The Rookies formidable backline of Peter Hensley, Jason Philip and Erickson Guz set up the opening for fly-half Raymond Kauba to score a converted try after two minutes. 

After half-time, Tolapa collected a dropped ball to race in and narrow the gap to 5-7.

Rookies retaliated with a try to captain Hensley Peter, with Neville Sam converting to make it 14-5.

Three minutes before the end, a persistent Levi ran 90-metres to score and convert to make it 12-14.

Referee Brendon Nason’s whistle for fulltime came as Manet Jason slipped over the Diggers try-line to make it 19-14.

In earlier premier matches, Kokopo Barbarians lost 5-7 to Cardinals, while the Rabaul Redskins beat Tomaringa Royals 32-0.

In the Under-19 grade, Cardinals beat Barbarians 14-0, while Rookies lost to Diggers 5-0. 

In the U15, Barbarians 12 beat Cardinals 7, Rookies 24 beat Diggers 5 and Royals beat Redskins. 

ENBRFU president Tony Namur said two more weekends remained before the quarter-finals set for April 13, with the grand final slated for April 20.