Playing his farewell World Cup campaign for Papua New Guinea, Rhyse Martin has helped steer the Kumuls to a gritty 42-18 win over Lebanon.
Martin scored a try and didn’t miss with the boot in seven conversions at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby on Saturday.
Martin’s personal tally of 14 points made him an obvious crowd favourite as he announced he will be retiring at the end of this World Cup to take up a role as football manager with new NRL team the PNG Chiefs.
His try with nine minutes left on the clock finished off the Cedars, who were fading in the Port Moresby humidity.
But Lebanon never stopped trying, with fullback Jacob Kiraz (207 metres) and winger Tony Frances (292 metres) constant threats in attack, while Wests Tigers stalwart Alex Twal led the defence with 48 tackles.
The Kumuls also unearthed a new star, Jarome Luai look-alike five-eighth Gairo Voro, who boasts flowing locks under his headgear along with his darting left- and right-stepping.
Fans can draw their own comparisons when the two halves face off in the Kumuls’ match against Samoa in Port Moresby on Saturday.
The Cedars, quarter-finalists at the 2022 World Cup, head to Sydney to face Tonga at CommBank Stadium on Friday night.
It was a double celebration for PNG on Saturday, with the Orchids earlier scoring a 58-4 win over France.
It look like it was going to be PNG’s afternoon when the Kumuls jumped out to an 18-0 lead after 30 minutes off tries from Voro, winger Robert Derby, and second-rower Nixon Putt.
Voro enjoyed two years with the PNG Hunters before moving to the London Broncos in Super League’s second division under coach Jason Demetriou, who is also the Kumuls’ coach.
The 23 year-old has a development contract with the PNG Chiefs, who join the NRL in 2028, where he will learn off Luai.
On Saturday the Cedars’ defence was stoic in the first half as they managed just 44 per cent possession.
Their rewards came in the shadow of halftime, scoring twice in four minutes.
Abbas Miski scored his 14th try for Lebanon in his 14th Test, then Wests Tigers back-rower Tony Sukkar, on debut for the Cedars, crossed after a 70-metre Francis intercept, with the home side leading 18-12 at halftime.
Some direct words from Demetriou appeared to hit the mark as the Kumuls scored twice early in the second half, firstly through halfback Finley Glare and then prop Epel Kapinias after a sublime Jack De Belin pass.
That pushed the score out to 30-12, forcing Lebanon to play catch-up footy once more.
A lengthy dart downfield from Newtown Jets five-eighth Khaled Rajab was against the run of play, but Miski was again in support for try No.15 as Lebanon closed to 30-18.
But Martin, playing his 22nd Test, accepted a short pass from his dummy-half Edwin Ipape, just two minutes before Ipape was at it again, putting in a grubber for half Bailey Biondi-Odo.
Ipape’s two late try assists put the result beyond doubt.
