PNG leads US like a Lam to slaughter
PAPUA New Guinea have advanced to the Rugby League World Cup quarter-finals with a 64-0 flogging of the USA and unveiled a potential future star in Lachlan Lam.
The Kumuls confirmed they would finish top of Group C with the emphatic victory over the USA in Port Moresby yesterday and will likely meet England in the knockout stage in Melbourne next week.
Five-eighth Lam, the son of Queensland Origin great and former coach Adrian, was a standout in his international debut, scoring two first-half tries to set up the 11 tries-tonone rout.
The Sydney Roosters-contracted 19-year-old regularly took the line on and made a compelling case for Michael Marum to include him in the side during the finals.
While Ase Boas is expected to come straight back into the line-up next week, Lam will push for a spot somewhere in the 17.
“The boys had been revving me up all week,” Lam said after the match.
“They got behind me and gave me all the confidence coming into that game.
“Got a few meat pies which is also pretty special.”
The Kumuls do have a concern after winger Garry Lo finished the game on the bench with a left leg injury after colliding with Bureta Faraimo. Lam opened the scoring when he crossed on the back of a James Segeyaro break and when the Cronulla hooker grabbed a four-pointer of his own in the 13th minute, the Kumuls were scoring at better than a point a minute.
Lam, who is being touted as a future NRL and Queensland State of Origin representative, showed his class when he broke through the line for a brilliant solo try as the home side led 34-0 at the break.
When skipper David Mead pinned the ears back to score two minutes after the resumption, the game was as good as over. Winger Justin Olam scored three tries – including a double in 14 minutes – to complete the thrashing.