Match Report: Australian PM's XIII too strong in Port Moresby
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A double to Raiders flyer Kaeo Weekes and some classy touches from Luke Brooks led the Australian PM's XIII to a 42-20 win over the PNG PM's XIII on Sunday.
Although the margin was convincing in the end it was the hometown heroes who got off to a flyer in Port Moresby to lead 12-0 after 10 minutes.
On the back of a powerful surge by Sylvester Namo it was the PNG PM's XIII opening the scoring in the fifth minute when Judah Rimbu burrowed over from dummy half. Jamie Mavoko's conversion made it 6-0.
An error by Australia fullback Fletcher Sharpe handed PNG field position and they capitalised through left centre Robert Mathias to make it 12-0 after 10 minutes with Mavoko's curling sideline conversion.
The Australian side then had consecutive sets inside the red zone thanks to a six-again call and Jamal Fogarty laid on a try for Beau Fermor with a neat grubber.
PNG open the scoring through Rimbu
The skills of Storm star Tyran Wishart came to the fore in the 28th minute with a trademark dart out of dummy half to cross for Australia's second try.
Trailing 12-10 the Australian side came up with an error through Dylan Lucas coming out of their own end and looked to be under pressure before a strong hit by Sam McIntyre on Koso Bandi forced a mistake.
With six minutes remaining in the half it was Brooks slicing the PNG defence open and finding Jacob Liddle backing up on the inside for a 16-12 Australia lead.
Fermor hits back for the Australians
Three minutes into the second half the Australian side went further ahead when Tallis Duncan produced a fine offload to put Weekes in for a try and the margin was out to 10.
An explosive line break and 55-metre sprint gave Weekes his double just six minutes later and the Raiders livewire had again served notice of his ability to leave defenders in his wake.
Australia then made it three tries in 10 minutes when Wishart, Brooks and Sean Russell combined to send Titans flyer Alofiana Khan-Pereira over in the corner for a 30-12 lead.
Chief playmaker Brooks continued to probe for openings and put Lucas into space for the Knights back-rower to surge away and post the seventh try of the afternoon for the Australian side. Reuben Garrick's conversion made it 36-12.
With 12 minutes to play Fermor looked set to cross in the corner for his second try but a superb cover tackle from Rimbu denied him.
Weekes bust the line and the goose step does the rest
The home side then brought the house down with a 70-metre try set up by a Dudley Dotoi bust and chip over the top for Finley Glare to regather and score an absolute ripper.
A grubber kick from Lachlan Galvin couldn't be handled by PNG and the ball rebounded to McIntyre who touched down for the eighth try of the day for Brad Fittler's men.
The last word went to the PNG PM's XIII when solidly built centre Alex Max outmuscled the Aussie defence to cross wide out to make the final score 42-20.
Match: PNG PM XIII v AUS PM XIII
Round 2 -
home Team
PNG PM XIII
away Team
AUS PM XIII
Venue: Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Match Snapshot
- PNG hooker Judah Rimbu scored 16 tries in 23 matches for the Hunters in this year's Queensland Cup competition.
- Australia had 61 per cent of possession in the opening half and completed 15 of 20 sets.
- Sam McIntyre and Dylan Lucas combined for 55 tackles for Australia.
- Alex Max and Robert Mathias ran for a combined 247 metres from 27 runs for PNG.
Weekes hits the gas after a Duncan offload
- Australia speedster Kaeo Weekes ran for 153 metres and had five tackle breaks.
- Australia PM's XIII produced 11 line breaks to four for PNG.
- PNG lock Ila Alu was strong with 11 hit-ups and 24 tackles.
- The PNG PM's XIII included four players with Test experience in Dan Russell, Judah Rimbu, Sylvester Namo and Benji Kot.
Play of the Game
What a try for Finley Glare!
