Papua New Guinea’s mini Matt Utai’s hit super heights in Queensland Cup CHRIS GARRY THE COURIER-MAIL AUGUST 02, 2014 TWO inseparable mates from Papua New Guinea known as “mini Matt Utais’’ are proving short men still have a place in rugby league. PNG Hunters stars Garry Lo and George Benson are re-defining rugby league’s search for height. Their combined height is only 3.3 metres but their weight is 200kg. Their thighs are as wide as their torsos and their shoulders as broad as their legs are long. Benson is 162cm, which is 3cm shorter than Allan Langer. He has morphed from a winger to a backrower this year with the fastest play-the-ball in the Intrust Super Cup. Lo, who is 170cm, has become the best winger in the competition, scoring an amazing 21 tries for the Hunters in his debut Intrust Super Cup season. His haul includes a four-try effort against the Northern Pride. Mount Hagen juniors, Lo and Benson have been best friends since childhood and they will be vital to the Hunters’ surge for a finals berth which continues against Norths in Kokopo on Saturday afternoon. The Hunters are sixth place, one position out of the finals, and will probably need to win three of their remaining four games to qualify. Benson, who is hoping to crack the Kumuls team this year, was bemused at comparisons to Matt Utai the former Canterbury back who is 6cm taller than him. “People say I’m like Matt Utai but I don’t know how he plays. Is he fast?” Benson said. “I have seen a couple things on the internet of him but never really saw him play. “I try to use my power instead of height. It (lack of height) doesn’t really impact me. “Me and Garry have played together a long time, since we were young but this is our first year in a while we have played together. It is good to be back with him. “The Hunters are a great opportunity for us to show our talent. It is good to be here together and trying to make it together.’’ The Hunters sit three points behind Wynnum Manly (fourth) and Ipswich (fifth). It would be an incredible achievement for the Hunters to make the finals in their debut season, which has involved an epic amount of travel including a complete relocation of their camp from Port Moresby to Kokopo, a 90 minute flight away. The Hunters still have a bye up their sleeves and while they should account for the Devils, their home game against the Jets next week will probably decide the outcome of the season for both teams.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 23:58:41 +0000
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