PAPUA New Guinea National Rugby League rookies Vitis Central Dabaris kicked off their selection trials at the Bava Park yesterday.
The trials, which will end on Friday, are aimed at giving rural players an opportunity to push for spots in the franchise. Dabaris head coach Chris Enara is overseeing trials which have attracted players from Rigo, Aroma Coast, Goilala, Kairuku-Hiri and Motu-Koita. “These are Southern Confederate-affiliated leagues, so they are all eligible to participate in the trials,” Enara said. Lae Snacks Tigers have named their squad to face the Port Morsby Vipers. The Vipers lost to Gulf Isapeas last week and are determined to register first win . The Tigers on the other hand are coming from a bye. 1. Charles Martin 2. Billy Paul 3. Enock Sine 4. Pasu Awene 5. Buttler Moris 6. Charlie Simon c 7. Mafu Kales 8 Roy Kela 9. Noel Joel 10. Paul Kambi 11. David Loko 12. Bernard Lama 13. Ishamel Balkawa 14. Sydney Fred 15. Junior Rop 16. John Andy 17. Lee James 18. McDonald Alowali 19. Robert Vuai 20. Terry Wapi (3 to be ommited) THE Goroka Lahanis have made up for their consecutive losses in round one and two of the Digicel Cup by beating a strong Port Moresby Vipers side 31-24 yesterday at the National Sports Institute in Goroka.
The win followed a similar strong home ground performance against the Gulf Isapea last Sunday, where a Wera Mori pep talk woke the Eastern Highlanders from a sluggish opening 40 to race home 30-8 winners. Against the Leonard Tarum-coached Vipers, the Lahanis scored five tries and kicked a field goal to bag their second win on the trot. The capital city men have been on the improve since their embarrassing pair of defeats to the Tigers (48-0) and the Isapea (16-8) in the consecutive weeks. The Vipers showed they meant business when centre Ben Wemin crashed over for the first try. Halfback Quinten Ragi added the extras and the Lahanis fans watched on as the visitors took a 6-0 lead. But the excitement subsided when the home side replied with a try to full-back Francis Takai. Felix Tatsim levelled the score with a successful conversion. Takai proved a slippery customer bagging his second try a short while later and a successful conversion by Tatsim saw the Lahanis move out to a 12-6 lead by the 21st minute. Lahanis lock Bernard Tatsim Jr proved a handful for the Vipers defence when he barged his way over for another four-pointer. The Vipers’ class began to shine through as they tightened up their game and started to apply pressure on the Lahanis in their own half. Results: Northwestern Pool – Simbu Lions 10 Enga Mioks 4, Mendi Muruks 14 Waghi Tumbe 16, Hagen Eagles 14 Hela Wigmen 18; Eastern Pool – Goroka Lahanis 31 Port Moresby Vipers 24, Tigers 28 Gulf Isapea 14. Bye: Gurias. The National A SECOND half sideline pep talk and an incentive from Chuave MP and Goroka Lahanis board member, Wera Mori was the tonic the Lahanis needed to boost them to a crushing 30-8 win over the Gulf Isapea in Goroka yesterday.
Trailing 8-0 by half time and the Isapea proving to be a better side than expected, the Lahanis needed the right motivation to drive their spirits and that was when Mori got the players revved up. The Crocodiles, coming off a 16-8 upset over Port Moresby Vipers last Sunday, went to the National Sports Institute at Goroka determined to hand the proud Eastern Highlanders another ignominious result and it seemed like that was the way the match was headed after the first half. The Gulf side simply outplayed the Lahanis in all facets and consternation was etched in the faces of fans at the NSI Oval. Incisive running and clever angles employed by the Port Moresby-based side had them getting over the gain-line with ease. The Isapea crossed the chalk twice in the opening 40 through lock Ila Alu for a 8-0 scoreline at the break. Croc prop Henry Tabal, skipper Bernard Goma, Kamb Yer and Alu simply ran rings around the host side and appeared to have the game well within their grasp. However, the Lahanis looked a different outfit after a blasting from coach George Abba and the rallying call by Mori. It did the trick, with the home side responding with two quick tries early in the second stanza. After taking the lead in the 60th minute, the Lahanis kicked on putting the points on the visitors to leave the fans with smiles on their faces at fulltime. Tries to centre Francis Takai (2), hooker Aimon Ian, second-rower Spirrow Mikaive and man-of-the-match and winger Felix Tatsim ensured the Isapea left the Highlands rueing what could have been after such a positive start. The Crocodiles did launch a comeback in the second half but were kept in check by assured defence and damaging runs by the Lahanis pack led by Bernard Tatsim Jr and Gonzella Urakusie. Results: Gurias 28 Vipers 22, Muruks 22 Wigmen 10, Eagles 26 Lions 26, Mioks 10 Tumbe 4, Lahanis 30 Isapea 8. The National THE Enga Mioks came home strongly to beat defending champions Hela Wigmen 18-14 in the opening round of the Digicel Cup in Wabag yesterday.
It was Kevin Inagafa’s miracle try in the final minute that gave the home team and its fans a reason to smile after the match looked destined for a 14-14 draw, with neither side looking likely to break the deadlock with four minutes remaining. The visitors started the match with a try to winger Paul Dickson to take an early 4-0 lead. The best the home side could come up with was a penalty in the 20th minute, which five-eighth Solomo Pokari slotted for his side to trail 4-2. Pokari then scored and converted his own try for the Mioks to be 8-4 in front, nine minutes later. The Hela side, led by former Kumul and Agmark Gurias star Larsen Marabe, hit back in the 38th minute through No.6 Rodney Tenza to level the scores at 8-8 at half-time. In the second half, the Mioks outstanding halves combination of Pokari and Towari Kenake and Tiger Emere and Leon Cletus in the centres paid off with Inagafa dotting down for an unconverted try to reclaim the lead 12-8. Marabe played a captain’s knock, fearlessly taking on the Mioks defence and leading the run metres for the visitors. He was supported by strong efforts from Watson Repo, Allan Anton and Andrew Ipi in the pack. The pressure resulted in a try to Wigmen’s Jojo Brandi under the post as they got back in the lead 14-12. The last five minutes of the match was a test of strength by both sides as they engaged series of sets where defences where tested to their limits. It was fitting that the deadlock would be broken by a mistake — and an opportunistic piece of play — and Inagafa provided the match-winner. THe National |
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