Utility Ipape dedicates try to his family, Mt Hagen

BY NATHAN WOTI
UTILITY Edwin Ipape said his 65m dummy-half burst which led to the Kumuls’ opener in Saturday’s 28-10 win over the visiting Great Britain Lions, was an experience he would cherish for many years to come.
Ipape’s blind-side break caught the Lions defender napping after back-rower Daniel Russell’s quick play-the-ball before scooting past the cover defence of makeshift winger Blake Austin to score near the uprights and open the home side’s tally of 28 unanswered points.
“It was a matter of whether I could win the foot race against Blake,” Ipape said.
“But thanks to my teammate David (Mead), he caused a little distraction for Blake so I was able to get a clear path to the line.
“Obviously, we played against a tough side.
“So it makes the victory all the more memorable.
“This feeling will last forever with me.
“I’m just trying to soak in the win as much as I can.”
The Wynum Manly Seagulls playmaker said he dedicated his first test try to his family and Mt Hagen, Western Highlands, where he grew up and played his first football.
“I know the win tonight means so much to the Papua New Guineans around the country and the world.
“It means a lot to rugby league in PNG and all of us as a nation.
“It feels good to create history on home soil.”
Saturday’s win is PNG’s second over Great Britain after the Kumuls first beat the visitors in 1990 in Goroka, Eastern Highlands.