PAPUA NEW GUINEA 42 LEBANON 18
CALLUM WALKER, Santos National Football Stadium, Port Moresby, Saturday

RHYSE MARTIN registered 18 points as Papua New Guinea’s strong second-half showing blew a stubborn Lebanon away.

It’s unlikely that either the Kumuls or the Cedars will qualify for the semi-finals at the start of November, but both sides were determined to put on a strong showing in front of a partisan 11,000-strong crowd in Port Moresby.

PNG fans are known for their unshakeable support of their national side, and they were in fine voice as the Kumuls registered four second-half tries to overcome a Lebanon side that trailed by just six at half-time.

There were a few late changes to the rosters as Finley Glare and Liam Horne came into the PNG starting line-up with Bailey Biondi-Odo and Jack De Belin dropping to the bench.

Meanwhile, Mikael Ibrahim was named at second-row instead of Charbel Tasipale, who missed out altogether.

The hosts, buoyed on by magnificent support, broke the deadlock on eight minutes. Gairo Voro, who has enjoyed a stellar season in the Championship with London Broncos, picked up a loose ball and streaked home from halfway after the Cedars tried an expansive play.

That lead was doubled around the midway point in the first-half when Morea Morea, another London star, fed Robert Derby for an easy run-in.

And 12-0 became 18-0 on the half-hour mark as Lebanon couldn’t live with the power and pace of the hosts. This time it was Nixon Putt that was on the end of another brilliant Voro break. Martin continued his 100 percent conversion record.

However, that seemingly brought the visitors to life, and, after Tupou Francis had gone close, Abbas Miski stole a four-pointer from dummy-half.

And there was just enough time in the first half for Lebanon to close the gap to just six.

Francis intercepted a loose PNG pass and ran 90 metres before being hauled down by Morea Morea, but the Cedars simply shifted the ball to the right where Tony Sukkar had acres of space to cross. Alex Conti converted again on the hooter.

That being said, PNG snuffed out any chances of a remarkable capital with two tries in seven second-half minutes.

A wayward pass meant little to Glare, who picked up and dummied his way to the line on 43 minutes.

Epel Kapinias got in on the action moments later, taking a neat De Belin pass close to the line as Martin made it 30-12 with the boot.

Miski did grab one back for the Cedars with the hour in sight, but two late Kumuls tries put the gloss on an impressive victory.

Martin notched a deserved effort after Edwin Ipape had fooled the visitors’ defence before Biondi-Odo got on the end of a pinpoint Ipape grubber to make it 42-18.

Khaled Rajab did go close for the Cedars with time running out, but the steely PNG defence kept their line intact.

Lebanon now face Tonga on Friday, with PNG going up against Samoa on Saturday.

GAMESTAR: Rhyse Martin converted seven from seven and even scored a try for an 18-point haul.

GAMEBREAKER: Two PNG tries within seven minutes of the restart took the Kumuls home.

MATCHFACTS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
1 Morea Morea
2 Robert Derby
3 Zac Laybutt
4 Nene Macdonald
5 Dudley Dotoi
6 Gairo Voro
14 Finley Glare
8 Valentine Richard
9 Edwin Ipape
10 Luca Moretti
11 Rhyse Martin
12 Nixon Putt
15 Liam Horne
Subs
7 Bailey Biondi-Odo
13 Jack De Belin
16 Epel Kapinias
17 Sylvester Namo
18 Rodrick Tai (not used)
19 Sanny Wabo (not used)

Tries: Voro (8), Derby (20), Putt (31), Glare (43), Kapinias (48), Martin (72), Biondi-Odo (75)
Goals: Martin 7/7

LEBANON
1 Jacob Kiraz
2 Tony Francis
3 Michael Gabrael
4 Jordan Samrani
5 Jason Saab
6 Khaled Rajab
7 Alex Conti
8 Jaxson Rahme
9 Yehya Ayache
10 James Roumanos
11 Tony Sukkar
15 Mikael Ibrahim
13 Alex Twal
Subs
14 Moustafa Dirani
16 Jalal Bazzaz
17 Khalil Rahme (not used)
18 Joseph Nohra (not used)
19 Abbas Miski
20 Tupou Francis

Tries: Miski (36, 54), Sukkar (40)
Goals: Conti 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 18-6, 18-12; 24-12, 30-12, 30-18, 36-18, 42-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Papua New Guinea: Rhyse Martin; Lebanon: Abbas Miski

Penalty count: 3-3
Half-time: 18-12
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 11,624