QPNG Flashback Mean Gene gives England a real fright The Observer Andy Wilson in Townsville Sunday 26 October 2008 It was hard to argue with the verdict of the North Queenslanders in the taxi rank outside this dusty out-of-town stadium, even if they may have taken the odd drink of XXXX Gold in forming it. If your blokes play like that next week, theyll get belted, one said in reference to Englands next World Cup assignment, against Australia in Melbourne on Sunday, after they were given the fright of their lives by a Papua New Guinea team inspired by the Hull KR veteran Stanley Gene. The Kumuls led 16-12 at half-time and were a tight forward-pass decision away from stretching further ahead early in the second half, which on all the evidence up to that point would have condemned Tony Smiths misfiring team to a humiliating opening defeat. Instead England were able to pull level when the young Leeds wing Lee Smith scored the second try of a debut hat-trick that at least provided one positive from a mostly worrying night and for the next 20 minutes they finally began to tackle with more conviction, control the ball and impose themselves on opponents who contained several part-timers in their ranks. We found out a whole lot about ourselves tonight, said Smith, whose take on the game - in public at least - was much more optimistic than those of the queuing locals. To be able to not play great and still find a way to win and turn things around when things are going against you is a great thing to have. Englands problems began in the 15th minute when, with a simple opening try for Ade Gardner already in the bank, they squandered a glorious chance to pull 12 points clear as James Graham was unable to take James Robys unnecessarily ambitious pass. The Kumuls had already shown the need to treat them with more respect, as Gene directed a collection of willing young runners superbly and also displayed a delicate left-footed kicking game that has mostly been kept under wraps during his 13 years in England with Huddersfield, Bradford and Hull, but mostly Hull KR. The cheerful stand-off from a village in the jungle near Goroka - which now has electricity thanks to the recent investment of some of Stanleys British earnings - had reinforced to his young team-mates before the match that his performances in the 1995 World Cup had changed his life by securing his move to the promised land of east Hull, and there will surely now be Super League scouts salivating over the ability of Australian-based Kumuls such as the loose-forward Rod Griffin and the wing David Moore. It was Griffin who scored the try that brought the wonderfully committed underdogs level in the 20th minute, surging between two static defenders - Graham and Gareth Ellis - and over the covering full-back Paul Wellens. England seemed to have recovered from that wobble when Smith scored his first from Wellens floated pass, especially when Kevin Sinfield added his second touchline conversion. But again any complacency was shattered, as the Kumuls responded with two tries in four minutes to take that half-time lead. A sloppy forward pass deep inside their own territory put England under unnecessary pressure to allow Jason Chan to score the first from Genes long pass, and then Smith made a dreadful hash of trying to catch a high kick by the inventive scrum-half Keith Peters, allowing George Kepa to cross in the corner. England looked stunned as they left the field for the break, and it would have been hard to see them hitting back to win had Australian referee Shayne Hayne not denied Moore a try, ruling correctly that the final pass from the second-row Jason Nightingale had drifted forward. Instead, an equalising second try for Smith, after quick hands from Rob Burrow and the substitute Jon Wilkin, brought them level in the 51st minute and soon they were ahead with another replacement, Danny McGuire, feeding the ball out wide and Burrow turning it back inside for Martin Gleeson to score. Sinfields third goal gave England a six-point cushion, but it was only in the 70th minute that they established the necessary breathing space, Sinfield keeping the ball alive on the sixth tackle for Gleeson and Leon Pryce to create Gardners second try. Smith then completed his hat-trick from Keith Seniors break, continuing a remarkable month for the 22-year-old who was a relative unknown until he switched to full-back and was named man of the match in Leedss Grand Final victory over St Helens. But even then the Kumuls kept coming, with another defensive error by Smith leaving England sufficiently stretched for Paul Aiton to touch down Peters kick. This may have been anything but convincing for England, but it was the perfect contest with which to launch the tournament. Dairy Farmers Stadium 10,780 Game rating |||||||||| Referee S Hayne (Aus) EnglandWellens; Gardner, Gleeson, Senior, Smith; Pryce, Burrow; Peacock, Roby, Graham, Hock, Ellis, Sinfield Interchange McGuire, Morley, Faasavalu, Wilkin Tries Gardner 2, Smith 3, Gleeson Cons Sinfield 4 Papua New Guinea Wilshere; Kepa, Parker, Maori, Moore; Griffin, Peters; Aizue, Aiton, Exton, Costigan, Nightingale, Gene Interchange Pora, Moni, Chan, Wabo Tries Griffin, Chan, Kepa, Aiton Goals Wilshere 3
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 03:34:16 +0000
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