Despite a horrific day with the boot, the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII have run out 28-10 victors over a plucky PNG PM’s XIII outfit in Port Moresby.
MATCH CENTRE: PNG PM XIII v AUS PM XIII scores, stats, live
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Australia scored seven tries to PNG’s two, but missed all seven conversions.
Jayden Campbell missed four, Mitch Moses two, including a chip shot next to the posts while Kyle Flanagan also had an attempt that went astray.
It was an historic day for Papua New Guinea, with the ‘PNG Chiefs’ unveiled as the name for the NRL’s 19th team, set to enter the competition in 2028.
PNG PM James Marape made the announcement just before kick off.
When the game did get underway, it was the Aussies who scored first through Trai Fuller, but PNG were able to level it up after Finlay Glare found winger Dudley Dotoi with a terrific cut out ball.
Dolphins star Fuller scored a 30-minute hat-trick for the Aussies with Tallis Duncan scoring the other first half try as the visitors led 16-4 at the break.
Mitch Moses was injected into the game after the break and he had a huge impact as he attempts to put some pressure on Nathan Cleary and Cam Munster for a starting Kangaroos halves role for the Ashes.
He made something from nothing to set up a Tyran Wishart try but when taking over goalkicking duties from a struggling Campbell, Moses missed a gimmie right next to the sticks.
The other three players picked for the Ashes Tour, Ethan Strange, Bradman Best and captain Keaon Koloamatangi were all solid in their final hitout before flying to the UK.
Earlier, the Australian women’s PMXIII team thrashed the PNG women 50-0.
TEAMS
MEN’S AUS PM XIII: 1. Jye Gray 2. Jason Saab 3. Bradman Best 4. Ethan Strange 5. Trai Fuller 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Jayden Campbell 8. Corey Horsburgh 9. Tom Starling 10. Keaon Koloamatangi 11. Tallis Duncan 12. Josh Curran 13. Matthew Eisenhuth 14. Jack Williams 15. Harrison Edwards 16. Tyran Wishart 17. Liam Henry
MEN’S PNG PM XIII: 1. Nene Macdonald 2. Robert Derby 3. Robert Mathias 4. Alex Max 5. Dudley Dotoi 6. Finlay Glare 7. Kyle Laybutt 8. Epel Kapinias 9. Liam Horne 10. Sylvester Namo 11. Jacob Alick-Wiencke 12. Nixon Putt 13. Jack de Belin 14. Judah Rimbu 15. Cooper Bai 16. Ila Alu 17. Valentine Richard 18. Jacob Taulani 19. Morea Morea 20. Gairo Voro
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