Kumuls Coach Happy

PAPUA New Guinea are not getting too excited by their rare win on foreign soil.

The Kumuls beat Scotland 38-20 in a World Cup warm-up game on Saturday.

Coach Adrian Lam said the team had “pulled up pretty well” over the Bravehearts at Big Fellas Stadium in

PNG Kumuls Coach. Andrian Lam

Featherstone, their first game since the 50-10 drubbing to the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII in Kokopo on September 29.

“This is the game we needed to play. We’re all happy with the result and it means putting our best foot forward at this World Cup,” Lam said from Hull yesterday.

Lam said the Scots were no push overs playing a physical match in conditions that they were more accustomed to.

“Scotland were pretty tough, they gave us a great challenge early on but we held on through good teamwork.”

Lam said there were no major injury concerns from the match and the side had settled into the English conditions well enough.

“We’ve had no injury problems from the Scotland game. Everyone’s doing fine. Francis Paniu took a knock to his forearm but it’s not serious. That’s the only injury from the match.

Lam said the players understood the size of the task at hand against France on Sunday at Craven Park in Hull.

“We understand what’s at stake here. The game against France is going to be massive. I’m happy to say the guys have settled in well and the team harmony is great. We gave the guys a day off yesterday (Sunday) as a reward for their effort against Scotland, but we’re back in training today (Monday) and for the rest of the week.”

Lam said he would name his team to play France on Thursday (Friday PNG time) evening.

“Ase Boas and Israel Eliab were not used against Scotland but they will be given the chance to play in the tournament.”

PNG play France on Sunday (Monday 3am PNG time).