Gurias rumble

CAPTION: Rangers’ Emmanuel Uki (right) being tackled by Hagen Kuris Bamu Talingapua in yesterday’s bemobile Cup match in Port Moresby. Rangers won 16-6. – Nationalpic by AURI EVA

Muruks left tryless at the Kalabond ‘graveyard’

By ELIZABETH VUVU

THE bemobile Cup top of the table clash at the Kalabond “graveyard” in Kokopo saw competition leaders NGIP Agmark Gurias thrash SBS Mendi Muruks 28-4 yesterday, The National reports.
Muruks fought an uphill battle against the hosts only managing two penalty goals through Andrew Sam early in the second half.
Gurias’ Rolly Matalau got the homeside on the board first with a penalty in the second minute for a 2-0 lead.
A well-executed move saw youngster Chris Jerry score minutes later as Matalau converted to make it 8-0.
Rugby convert Jeffrey Vinavel, who missed last week’s game, then beat five Muruk defenders on his way to the tryline for a14-0 advantage.
Minutes before half time, Jerry scored his second try for the day after he dodged and bounced off three tackles, at the same time juggling the ball and putting it down on the try line to close out the half at 18-0 for the Islanders.
Kumul forward George Moni added further misery for the Muruks when he latched onto a Sakias Kabange short ball to score for a 22-4 lead – this coming after Sam’s two earlier penalties.
Vinavel, a former Pukpuk, added his second as he crashed through three Muruks bringing the score to 28-4.
Gurias assistant coach Oscar Tonga said his side’s defence was the key to their win.
Muruks, on the other hand, accepted their loss and said they would be returning to Lae to re-set for next week’s important clash against Masta Mak Rangers in Port Moresby.

A win at last

Three-try hero Johnson Kuike (centre) of the Rangers getting tackled by Lae Bombers players led by veteran forward Lawrence Goive (left) in round four of the bemobile Cup yesterday in Port Moresby. Rangers won 36-16. – Nationalpic by EKAR KEAPU

Masta Mak Rangers finally snap three-game bemobile Cup losing streak

By HENRY MORABANG in The National

LOCK Johnson Kuike put on the man of the match performance scoring a hattrick of tries to help Masta Mak Rangers register their first bemobile Cup victory 32-16 over Lae Bombers at Lloyd Robson Oval in Port Moresby yesterday.
In the other games yesterday, Kongo Coffee Warriots proved too classy for Bintangor Goroka Lahanis 16-10 in Goroka, NGIP Agmark Gurias buried WGS Mt Hagen Kuris in Kokopo 36-0 and Structural Bridging System Mendi Muruks fought a 20-all draw with Stop and Stop Civpac Vipers in Lae.
Kuike, a BSP security officer from Simbu, scored half of his side’s six tries to rout the Bombers who scored three.
After failing to complete 12 sets of six in an an abominable error-ridden opening 15 minutes, the Port Moresby franchise were seemingly in deep trouble especially with the ball coming loose in contact.
To their credit the Rangers regrouped to send Kuike through some half-hearted Bombers defence to open the score in the 12th minute for a 6-0 lead.
Three minutes later, Bombers secondrower Yobo Motoro replied for the visitors with an unconverted try to trail 6-4.
The game see-sawed for a period before Kuike visited the tryline again in the 21st minute to extend the score 10-4.
Rangers capitalised on their heavier forwards and started to create the time and space for a potent backline to flourish.
In one such move, the Rangers worked a slick move down the left flank to send winger Joel Ambrose through in the 26th minute .
Goalkicker Simon Maniat made sure of the conversion to cushion their lead 16-4.
With four minutes before half time, Rangers fullback Samson Ene scored from a Maniat inside ball to break out to a 22-4 lead at half time.
In the second half, Rangers using their forward might to punch holes in the Bombers which eventually led Kuike to scoring his third of the afternoon in the 41st minute. With another succesful conversion by new recruit Skipper Mel the Rangers were out to a commending lead 28-4. Power Ranger Ham Tee all but sealed the match in 48th minute for a 32-4 advantage.
The Bombers sensing the game was slipping away game back strongly in the last 10 minutes to score two tries.
Skipper Russ Kaupa Jr displayed his individual brilliance with a clever chip and chase to recollect and score next to the uprights to peg back the lead 32-10.
Bombers forwards Nelson Tony, Lawrence Goive, Sydney Fred, Ben Kaupa started to muscle up on Rangers forwards resulting in an entralling final minutes as Rangers big men Enoch Maki, Nathan Anjo, Ford Tuli and skipper Francis Ray clashed with Bombers pack.
The Lae team’s consistency in the last minute paid off when five-eighth Martin Yanda scored a consolation try to add some respectability to the final scoreline.
The match was well controlled by Porgera-based State of Origin accreditated linesman Wayne Wool.

Warriors given a second chance

Kundiawa Warriors are back after 3 years in exile

 

By BURI GABI and ZACHARY PER

 

PNG rugby league’s prodigal son the Kundiawa Warriors are set to return to the country’s premier rugby league competition the bemobile Cup, The National reports.

After getting the green light by the Cup governing board over the weekend, the Simbu franchise will take part in the competition after three years in the sporting wilderness.

The Warriors paid K70, 000 to the PNGRFL offsetting a K60, 000 debt incurred by previous sponsor Pagini Transport.

The extra K10, 000 was an initial payment to get the Warriors on board with an additional K80, 000 yet to be paid for the Simbu provincial team complete its entry requirements for 2010.

According to Fox, all franchise teams are urged to pay their franchise fees of K90, 000 for this year before March 13.

The bemobile cup board under chairman Don Fox agreed unanimously to accept the Warriors bid after submissions and guarantees from the interim Warriors board headed by Jerry Kapka with the endorsement of Simbu MPs in Governor Fr John Garia and Kundiawa/Gembogl MP  Joe Mek Teine.

Fox, also the PNG National Rugby League board chairman, confirmed that the Warriors were definite starters for the 2010 season but under strict conditions in particular not bringing the game into disrepute through violence.

“We want to make rugby league a family sport were mums and dads can take their children to watch a game of footy but we need to put a stop to violence in rugby league first,” Fox said.

He said the board decided to re-instate a team from Simbu which he acknowledged had produced many great players over the years and would no doubt continue to do so.

With the inclusion of a team from Simbu, the bemobile Cup can now boast a full complement of teams from the Highlands region further strengthening the competition.

This will now see a total of nine teams in the semi-professional competition: Agmark Gurias, ACTL Bombers, Toyota Mioks, SBS Muruks, CIVPAC Vipers, Masta Mak City Rangers, Bintangor Eagles, Bintangor Lahanis and the Kundiawa Warriors.

The competition will kick off on the April 25 with four matches around the country while one team has the bye.

PNGNRL Chairman, Don Fox said that he was impressed with the Warriors’ commitment to re-entering the competition and commended Warriors board chairman Jerry Kapka and the rest of the interim board for their tireless work over the last seven months.

Fox also visited the playing facilities at the Warriors home ground, Dickson Oval, recently to see first hand the interim board’s plans for redeveloping the playing surface and the stands in time to host home games this season.