Wanderers continue their winning run in Pom rugby
By KEITH PUARIA
WANDERERS reaffirmed their pre-season run in Saturday’s main game of the Port Moresby Rugby competition at Bava Park with an unorthodox 19-7 win over pool A leaders Brothers.
The maroon pack ran in two spectacular tries off clinical backline play in the first half with ease, and then barged over for their third, 20 minutes into the second half for a convincing victory.
Emerging outside backs Emmanuel Havora and Jacob Wodo reigned at will, in a class of their own with Havora scoring a ‘slicer’ of a try with sheer pace and line early into the first half.
With some honest work in broken play, Wanderers backrowers Enoch Guina, William Maniot and Emmanuel Mora, kept ticking for their forwards, while flanker Terence Torea once again dominated the line-outs against a struggling Brothers’ challenge.
The depth of the Brethren, put to the test was found wanting again all day as ball handling and ill discipline at the breakdowns, kept the side on the back-foot.
Glimpses of the side’s strike power resulted in their only try of the match late in the first half, but came down to be the first and the last for the match.
Brothers’ backrow Cyjoh Waingut, prop Bryan Kutal and 18-year-old exciting new back Jimmy Pahia stamped a little mark in the match, but it was not enough for tries and points.
In the earlier matches, pool B leaders University added cushion to their seat at the top, with a 22-5 win over LaSallians, Harlequins beat Chiefs 17-12, and Kone Sharks fought out a determined LaSallians 17-5.
Royals scored their first win of the pre-season over Defence 27-22 in the morning, while Wanderers lost their earlier match 36-10 against Chiefs.
University had almost consolidated the top pool B place, Harlequins, Wanderers and Brothers will have their final games this weekend for the top place in pool A.
The women’s matches have finalised their placings for next weekend’s finals, with Defence topping pool A with a 51-0 thrashing of an all new LaSallians side and Brothers sealed pool B 22-5 against University.