{"id":238044,"date":"2025-11-01T15:49:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T15:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/238044\/"},"modified":"2025-11-01T15:49:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T15:49:12","slug":"former-super-league-man-of-steel-hails-unbelievable-leigh-leopards-star-as-png-hammer-fiji","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/238044\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Super League Man of Steel hails \u2018unbelievable\u2019 Leigh Leopards star as PNG hammer Fiji"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Papua New Guinea have romped to victory against Fiji with a number of Super League players shining, including stars from Hull KR and Leigh Leopards.<\/p>\n

The Kumuls, who are coached by London Broncos head coach Jason Demetriou<\/a>, ran out 50-18 winners in Port Moresby as they put on a show in front of their adoring fans to top the Pacific Bowl group.<\/p>\n

Papua New Guinea took a 30-6 lead into the break and despite Fiji improving\u00a0 in the second half, the Kumuls still won that exchange thanks to a 79th minute penalty from Rhyse Martin as the Hull KR star took his points tally to 22 for the match, having scored 16 last week against the Cook Islands.<\/p>\n

Despite Martin\u2019s impressive performance that saw him kick nine from nine and score a try, it was Leigh Leopards\u2019 Edwin Ipape who has grabbed the headlines once again, just a week after Demetriou claimed that the hooker would \u201cwalk into the NRL\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Leigh Leopards man shines as PNG win Pacific Bowl<\/p>\n

Former Super League Man of Steel Jackson Hastings is the latest to sing Ipape\u2019s praised with Hastings posting on social media about the Leigh hooker\u2019s showing, labelling the Leopards man as \u201cunbelievable out of nine\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ipape made a whopping 59 metres from just five runs when he ran from dummy-half, whilst he ended up making a total of 118 from just seven runs total as a lengthy break added to his stats.<\/p>\n

It was Hull KR\u2019s Martin who topped the tackle count whilst Salford Red Devils\u2019 Nene Macdonald was also among the eight try scorers.<\/p>\n

For Fiji, Castleford\u2019s new signing Semi Valemei scored and made a whopping 151 metres but his late try came solely as a consolation.<\/p>\n

In truth, the game was over inside 26 minutes as PNG scored 30 points in a 16-minute period with Morea Morea\u2019s opening try on ten minutes quickly followed by scores by Ipape, Macdonald, Martin and Cooper Bai.<\/p>\n

With no Pacific Bowl final this year, it means PNG have now claimed the title for the third year in a row with this win.<\/p>\n

Serious About Rugby League has launched a brand new podcast which can be watched in full on our\u00a0YouTube channel here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Watch all the highlights as the PNG Kumuls take on Fiji Bati! \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddec \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddef pic.twitter.com\/DlKphqJgoC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NRL (@NRL) November 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

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