Lam stars in Papua New Guinea Kumuls win against USA (Post Courier 13/11/17)

Lam trowing a fist pump as he goes in for a try

BY FIDELIS SUKINA

Lachlan Lam was a standout in the Papua New Guinea LNG Kumuls 64-0 thumping of the United States of America as the Kumuls advance to the Rugby League World Cup quarterfinals.

The win certainly secures a quarter finals match against Wayne Bennett’s England team next Sunday in Melbourne.

In front of a sellout crowd at the Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby yesterday, the Kumuls ran in 11 tries with goal kicker Rhys Martin kicking 10 from 11 securing their highest ever win.

The crowd found a new hero in PNG Kumul and Roosters legend Adrian Lams son Lachlan with the 19 year old happy with the chants of “Lachlan Lachlan” when the debutant scored two tires and assisted in one.

Moses Meninga the other debutant for the Kumuls made 13 runs and gained 153meters with a try assist.

PNG were on a class of their own with USA Hawks struggling to hold on to the players, according to the Fox Sports Match Center USA made 40 missed tackles in the 80 minutes in their lackluster performance.

Lam at Kumuls training picture by Post Cou

It took just nine minutes for James Segeyaro to make the first break before and inside ball to Lam who dived under the posts Martin with an easy conversion taking them to a 6-0 lead, three minutes later Justin Olam scored their second after a good passage of play Martin this time missing the only conversion leaving the scores 10-0.

PNG added two more tries in the space of two minutes to James Segeyaro and Lam scoring his second for a 22-0 lead.

USA tried their best to hold their defense line but they still made a mess of it allowing Rod Griffin to stroll over for a try before Stargroth Amean literarily knocked down two defenders in a slow burst to score another easy try taking the Kumuls to a 34-0 lead into half time.

The second half proved more costly for the Hawks with just two minutes in David Mead dashing untouched with a 70 meter try to take the score to 40-0, another slip up in defense led to Wason Boas and Nene McDonald scoring before Justin Olam put the final two tries to end the match 64-0.

Garry Lo finished the game on the sidelines mid way into the second half after he got his leg caught underneath teammate Stargroth Amean while the duo were making a tackle.

Ireland: PNG experience worth sharing (Post Courier 6/11/17)

Ireland Captain Liam Finn (left) and Coach Mark Aston pic by FIDELIS SUKINA

RUGBY LEAGUE

BY FIDELIS SUKINA

THE Irish Wolfhounds were prepared for the occasion but captain Liam Finn says they are quite disappointed with the loss.

He said they knew it would be tough but it was an experience worth sharing as the captain encouraged other countries to come play in such a welcoming nation of rugby league.

“The Kumuls … they were tough and physical. We got exactly what we were expecting when we came to PNG but in terms of the game we are disappointed we didn’t get the win.

“PNG are heavy favorites to get through to the quarter-finals. They earned the win today (Sunday) they came strong and we tip our hats to PNG and say good luck in the future.

“But it is a fantastic experience to play in PNG and I recommend it to anyone who plays rugby league around the world if you get the chance to come play here take it with two hands because it has been totally magnificent. For us, the hospitality has been unbelievable. It has been a great experience,” Finn said

Irish coach Mark Aston said they have earned respect for giving the Kumuls a great game that went right down to the dying minutes of the match.

“What people will see is a lot of respect as a group of players and staff we have come out here to the backyard of the Kumuls and pushed them to the limits. I am proud of this group they showed a lot of strength and they are men of toughness and we can build on that.

“I have been involved for six to seven years now with Ireland and things are clicking into place now. We will regroup we got a couple of days off to chill out and get ready for Wales and we deserve a win so that we can sign off in style,” Aston said.

Lo on High Stakes as he gives all for PNG Kumuls win (Post Courier 6/11/17)

Garry Lo scoring his try at the Oil Search National Football Stadium

BY FIDELIS SUKINA

GARRY Lo made a birthday wish and it came through, with a try in the Papua New Guinea LNG Kumuls gutsy win against a tough Irish Wolfhounds 14-6 at the Oil Search Football Stadium in Port Moresby yesterday.

The win in this Pool C match of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup has all but secured the Kumuls place in the World Cup quaterfinals.

It was an error-riddled match but the atmosphere was allure with chants of “Garry Garry” filling the stadium with ecstasy when he was in his usual barnstorming self.

Lo, who turned 24 on November 1 wanted to celebrate with a try and led the surge against the Irish, according to Fox Sports Match center Lo raked in 153 metres off 16 runs and had eight line breaks; Lo took it upon himself to be there and had more runs than any forward or player on the day.

Among the chart toppers Justin Olam made 166 metres and Kato Ottio made 148 metres in a crowd arousing performance by the trio.

But it wasn’t all positive as the match started on a low and bumped its way through to a maximum high right towards the end.

Stanton Albert was left lost in the first five minutes of the match when he fumbled a high kick to give Michael Mc Ilorum an easy try, with captain Liam Finn pushing the conversion through for a 6-0.

But that got the crowd all worked up and urged the Kumuls to a strong counter, Finn and Mc Ilorum organised a fired-up Ireland but PNG stood the home ground, ganging up on their bigger opponents, the winger Liam Kay was a key target in PNG’s offensive and in that small surge forward they even closed in on Garry Lo.

They managed to hold PNG in their own 50 metre line, with deep kicks by Mc Ilorum allowing forwards in Kyle Amore and Brad Singleton to counter the PNG players.

That all changed when powerhouse Nene McDonald took on the line and shrugging off the defence to score the first try with Rhyse Martin failed to convert to trail 6-4.

Lo then ran straight into the Irish defensive line fending off George King and Ed Chamberlain to score a ripper of a try, but Martin again misse the conversion to lead 8-6 into half time.

The second half was a scrappy affair with both teams dropping the ball and limiting their opportunities.

Ireland looked fatigued in the process, with PNG hitting the Wolfhounds hard and turning over possession on almost all their sets.

The scores lined up at 8-6 for 38 minutes of the second half with the home crowd in suspense before a toe poke and chase by Watson Boas in the 68th minute led to the match winner, with Ase Boas slotting in the two points for a 14-6 win.