Tigers maul Gurias

Tepend’s men keep title defence intact

By LARRY ANDREW
THE Tigers kept their title defence intact with a 24-16 win over the Rabaul Gurias in the Digicel Cup top-of-the-table clash at the Lae Rugby League Ground yesterday.
The round-three win saw the Stanley Tepend-coached side displace the Gurias at the top of the ladder in the country’s premier rugby league competition.
In the earlier match, the Enga Mioks and Waghi Tumbe played out a 12-12 draw.
The Tigers got off on the wrong foot, making a number of errors in the opening minutes but the visiting Gurias failed to make their opportunities count.
The Gurias then made errors of their own to open the door for the Tigers to score in the 12th minute.
Gurias fullback Terry Wapi fumbled the ball which led to Jokedi Bire crossing over for the hosts’ first try.
The Tigers scored their second try off a quick play-the-ball which allowed man-of-the-match Joe Joshua to send Bire over again in the 28th minute for a 10-0 lead.
Interchange Edwin Ipape dominated the ruck to send Anderson Benford over for an unconverted try to give the Tigers a 14-0 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Gurias re-grouped and applied pressure on the Tigers defence with captain Watson Boas chipping for Allan Simbiri to score a converted try.
But the home side responded with another try to extend their lead through Butler Morris on right corner.
The Tigers scored their final try to put the match beyond doubt.
John Ragi Jr combined with Boas to score a try and bring the scores to 10-24.
Wapi scored a converted try but the defending champions held on to continue their perfect start to the season with their third straight win.
Results: Sat, July 18 – Isou 16 Eagles 10, Vipers 6 Muruks 12; Sun, July 19 – Dabaris 16 Cutters 16, Wigmen 18 Lahanis 8, Mioks 12 Tumbe 12, Tigers 24 Gurias 16.