By Alan Nicolea
November 11th 2008 @ 2:18am
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PNG worthy of league’s greatest honour
The Kangaroos have continued on their uninterrupted journey to the World Cup final at Suncorp Stadium on November 22. But if we were to crown the efforts of those truly deserving, Papua New Guinea stands alone.
Even though they lost 46-6 in a very humid night in Townsville, the Kumals cherished their moment in the limelight against Australia. And for the opening twenty minutes of the first half, they defended as if their lives depended on it.
Their effort last night will go a long way to restoring the damaged credibility of international league, which has been tarnished by Australia’s dominance.
The commitment and charisma displayed by the entire New Guinea team deserves recognition of the highest order, let alone a $20,000 pay check from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to help develop league in the island nation.
Their were suggestions that Australia’s ‘B’ team would put the cleaners through the Kumals, with predictions of a 100 point thrashing on the cards.
But not for one minute in Sunday’s contest did that ever look like happening.
At times, the Kumals met fire with fire, in particular a raging Anthony Tupou hit-up late in the first half which was met with equal interest from the New Guinean defence.
Kangaroos Test debutant Terry Campese was an unfortunate victim of New Guinea’s determination, after being hit (or poked) in the eye by former Raiders team-mate Neville Costigan.
The Canberra half was forced off the field for the majority of the contest due to the incident.
One moment that truly emphasised New Guinea’s commitment against the Kangaroos came in the first half when Anthony Watmough was seemingly about to score his first Test try under the posts.
But out of nowhere along came a Kumals winger who plays for the Gold Coast Titans in the Toyota cup. He gives Watmough the slightest of nudges, which threw him off balance, forcing the ball loose.
PNG icon Stanley Gene let his heart do the talking at fulltime, shedding tears of disappointment and joy after earlier announcing his international retirement from rugby league.
Many back in New Guinea will have shed tears as well, because it was a moment worth savouring not only for PNG, but for rugby league around the world.
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To answer your question, Paul Okon is their coach. He is relatively young...
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craig said | November 11th 2008 @ 10:34am | Report comment
“Their effort last night will go a long way to restoring the damaged credibility of international league” 46-6 against the B team….. I don’t see much credability there
sheek said | November 11th 2008 @ 10:44am | Report comment
Rugby league in England & France is going backwards so fast, PNG is desperately needed to become the new 3rd member of the Tri-Nations, along with Australia & NZ.
Oh dear, whenever I get agitated about the direction rugby union is heading, I only have to look at the disaster that is international rugby league, & my agitation disappears!
Alan Nicolea said | November 11th 2008 @ 10:56am | Report comment
Craig
You have to look beyond the result mate. Austraila were favoured to put a century on these Kumals - a side with no professional structure back home and who are constantly battling domestic violence and sexual abuse. They did themselves proud thanks to sheer determination and courage, and it shows what rugby league was all about - Mateship. New Guinea played for eachother no matter what the score was. Their efforts should be commended.
Alan Nicolea said | November 11th 2008 @ 4:09pm | Report comment
Sheek
Putting New Guinea in an expanded tri-nations would be great for the international game. Let’s hope its done sooner rather than later though.
felo skola said | November 11th 2008 @ 5:48pm | Report comment
Even though we lost all 3 games, i still feel like we won the word cup, simply because the boys give it their all. And that is all we ask for.
Personally i would rate Neville costigan as man of the series for PNG followed very closely by jessie joe parker and David Moore. Stanley Gene, we all know that on his shoulders he carried the expectations of a nation, and every tear he shed was not shed alone. For all the other players we know that they gave 200% plus and they can only build from there.
For a nation of diverse cultures and over 800 distinct languages the whole of PNG comes to a standstill when the red black and gold runs on to the field, and for once we forget our differences, we mourn every loss, and we party every try (and swear with every dropped ball).
The other countrys might have the money, the infrastructure, and the wins, but we have shown that we have something worth much more than that - Pride and Passion
From the Cold highlands to the beautiful coasts and islands, all of us PNGeans give a standing ovation to the Kumuls.
To the other countries may the best team win.
And well See you again in 2013.
westy said | November 11th 2008 @ 9:12pm | Report comment
Sheek…I agree with much of you sentiment in relation to the development of domestic rugby. Some comments about the RLWC are a smokesreen of denial by rugby people. Sometimes all we have got is our international game and we cling onto it at all costs. I especially take umbrage at comments and values pushed in the English press and repeated ad nauseum by some Australian rugby proponents. They are often very ignorant of Australia and its communities.
My first preference is rugby . But I am a proud Australian and if my fellow countryman prefer league or Aussie Rules so be it. Stuff England . I went to some of the RLWC games . The islanders celebrated …Samoa v Tonga was great….the indigenous ALL Stars v The Maori was great………..manufactured competition or not these people were engaging communally and celabrating their game. What the hell is the problem………I wish we had their crowds at our club games. Do English rugby commentators really understand the state of our domestic rugby. They should because our slavish subservience to RFU cost us very very dearly. We lost the ordinary punter and still have not got them back. Class may work in English sport but it will kill you here. All those fucking English platitudes about the amateur game now sound so hollow and utterly hypocritical now. Professional rugby makes those claims in an Australian context even worse.
Payment for travel and time off work………….what were we doing. The RFU were in a battle to the death with the Northern League…………this did not need to translate here but we adopted their extreme line. You no what disappoints me it was so not who we were. We went from having a working class catholic Wallaby captain educated at parramatta Marist brothers who also captained Parramatta to eventually a game resticted largely to the elite.Way to go.
I challenge any true rugby man not to give some begrudging respect to PNG who defended their line as though their lives depended on it. At no time did they give in when it was so easy to do so. It is what I saw in our much more realistic World Cup Japan never gave in against the ALL BLacks…..and yet they lost 90 or so to nil.I still watched hoping they would score. .I find the ignorance of some in rugby inexcusable in fact downright appalling. For God sake Scotland Rugby team played the ALL Blacks reserve grade side and lost . They have seven English born players in their squad, two Australians, a New Zealander and a Zimbabwean………This does not bother me . The Scots were enterprising and a little unlucky in some decisions.but basically were soundly beaten by a second class Blacks side. We had better undestand the reality in some rugby nations….
True Tah said | November 11th 2008 @ 9:22pm | Report comment
Westy,
I think PNG clearly deserves a better shot - as an Australian, from my perspective the only time I really get exposed to PNG sport is through the Kummuls. Not much good news comes out of PNG, it is perhaps the most violent nation on earth, AIDS is rampant, mining companies stuffing up the environment, corrupt politics, a nation of over 1000 differant languages…these guys did their nation proud.
As a rugby person, I would love to see the Kummuls in our game, lets face it, they are the only other nation in our region who could have a realistic chance of competing with Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, or maybe even Australia and NZ one day. Guys like Aizue have the physique for the front row. They have a population of 5 - 6 million, which is more than either NZ or Qld. Im not sure about an NRL side being the righy decision for them…however I would love to see more of the Kummul boys playing in the NRL.
BTW the Japs lost 146-20 against the All Blacks, Scotland is dying as a rugby nation and has been doing so for 10 years.
Midfielder said | November 11th 2008 @ 9:46pm | Report comment
Westy
Good post but as the article is generally supportive of RL.
I have been blown away at how successful the RLWC has been ……… reasonable crowds …….. as I understand reasonable ratings …….. but most importantly and HUGELY so is the unexpected extra scope it has provided RL.
RL has been drawn into a battle royal with the AFL over who is the countries main domestic competition. RL has one advantage in that NSW & QLD have a tad over 54% of the population and if the growth curves are correct by 2012 maybe as high as 56%. Meaning AFL needs to expand in NSW & QLD thus the massive war. The success of the Samoa, Tonga, PNG & Fiji, essentially Oceania has provided RL a new canvass to work on, and right now it is now theirs for the taking.
PNG a RL stronghold, Fiji a very strong RL country and much credit here should go to Changa Langlands & St George who have helped Fiji RL for years.
MEANING the 11 or 12 million people who live in Oceania when added to the NSW & QLD population open up new revenue streams and can act as a buffer for any losses RL has to the AFL.
The real loser out of the RLWC is union ….. why ….. because I & most like me tho the islands only played RU … we now know they also play RL. IMO every two years a six nation play off split into two groups with Australia and NZ as seeds in each group, plus a Oceania team playing mainly out of PNG but also Fiji in the NRL…….. again providing extra revenue and more importantly gaining some long lost credibility.
The winner in this RLWC has been RL IMO.