Blog: PNG PM's XIII v Australia PM's XIII

Live coverage of Saturday's women's and men's clashes between the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister's XIII and Australia's Prime Minister's XIII from Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.

PNG PM's XIII: 1 David Mead, 2 Edene Gebbie, 3 Justin Olam, 4 Nene MacDonald, 5 Dan Russell, 6 Lachlan Lam, 7 Watson Boas, 8 Moses Meninga, 9 James Segeyaro, 10 Stanton Albert, 11 Rhyse Martin, 12 Nixon Putt, 13 Wellington Albert

Interchange: 14 Tom Butterfield, 15 Enock Maki, 16 Kyle Laybutt, 17 Willie Minoga, 18 Radley Brawa 

Australia PM's XII: 1 Corey Allan, 2 Zac Lomax, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Brian Kelly, 5 Nick Cotric, 6 Jake Clifford, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans, 8 David Klemmer, 9 Ben Hunt, 10 Jordna McLean, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Tyrone Peachey, 13 Jake Trbojevic

Interchange: 14 Aaron Woods, 15 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 16 Matt Prior, 17 Chad Townsend, 18 Gehamat Shibasaki, 19 Reece Robson, 20 Enari Tuala

Refresh this page for the latest updates.

6.18pm: Click here to read the match report from the men's match in Port Moresby. Follow up articles and video content will appear over the remainder of the weekend. Thanks for following the blog. Have a great weekend.

6.15pm: That's full time here in Port Moresby. David Klemmer, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jordan McLean, Zac Lomax and Jake Trbojevic among the Aussie's best. In the end the visitors were too strong for the PNG PM's XIII. Australia win 34-18. And most importantly, no major injuries to come out of this game as Mal Meninga prepares for the two Tests against New Zealand and Tonga in the coming weeks.

6.11pm: NO TRY! Jordan McLean drops the ball over the line while trying to plant it down. Plenty of defenders on top of him as the ball spilt free.

6.05pm: Unfortunate outcome here for Mead. A loose offload coming off his own try line is picked up by Chad Townsend, who strolls over to send Australia out to a 34-18 lead.

6.02pm: TRY! What a ball from David Mead. A lovely short ball puts PNG centre Justin Olam over. Great line running from Olam. Goes through untouched. Martin kicks the conversion and all of a sudden we have a game on our hands. Australia lead 30-18 with 12 minutes remaining.

6pm: Daly Cherry-Evans has come from the field for a break. That is probably the last time he will feature in this contest. Then comes another error from the Aussies. This time Tyson Frizell coughs it up trying to steamroll the defence on his way to the try line. Australia lead 30-12

5.58pm: PNG playing some quality footy and troubling the Australians. They've been held up over the line and tackled just short on numerous occasions. Unfortunately for the home fans their handling has thwarted the danger.

5.54pm: Deft touch from James Segeyaro earns PNG a repeat set. You can sense another try coming for the home side.

5.53pm: Another mistake from the Aussies. This time DCE coughs up the ball on the first tackle. Kumuls on the attack.

5.49pm: TRY! The Kumuls are in! Two consecutive sets of six and they score through Kyle Laybutt, who dives on a grubber. Australia now lead PNG 30-12 after Rhyse Martin converts from right in front of the posts. 

5.46pm: Error from the Aussies coming off their own line. PNG with quality field position after that Matt Prior error.

5.44pm: The players are back out on the field for the second half.
TRY! Corey Allan, the South Sydney-bound fullback, has scored for the Aussies from the opening set of the second half. Cowboys player Enari Tuala picks up the spoils from a Kumuls mistake and hands it off to Allan to score untouched. Australia lead 30-6

5.20pm: TRY! PNG are over. Canterbury's Rhyse Martin collects a Lachlan Lam grubber and don't the home fans love it. Martin beats Nick Cotric to the ball, then converts his own try to send the two teams into the sheds with Australia leading 24-6. That's half-time.

5.15pm: TRY! Daly Cherry-Evans bags a double. He's playing well the captain. Just slices through some soft PNG defence to plant the ball under the post. Australia now out to a 24-0 lead as Lomax slots the conversion five minutes out from half time.

5.10pm: PNG really muscling up in defence. Some massive shots being put on. This game has come alive since the pitch invasion. PNG now get a penalty coming out of their own half. Aarons Woods and Reagan Campbell-Gillard replace McLean and Klemmer.

5.08pm: A lot of pressure on DCE on the last tackle and he coughs up the pill. The crowd is absolutely going crazy. Incredible scenes.

5.02pm: Jesse Ramien bundled into touch in the far corner.

5.01pm: SHOULDER CHARGE: James Segeyaro has just put a big shoulder chanrge on David Klemmer. Both see the funny side of it as the crowd erupts. Penalty Australia.

4.59pm: Apparently the invasion was sparked by fans who feared the light tower was going to fall. Some say the illusion of clouds floating by in the background spooked them. Mad scenes here in Port Moresby.

After a 10-minute delay we're back underway.

4.53pm: TRY! Daly Cherry-Evans combines with his Manly teammate Jake Trbojevic. DCE beats a couple of defenders to score.

MADNESS ERUPTS!

Fans invade the field. Players are running to the bench.

4.46pm: TRY! Jake Trbojevic crosses. Put that down to the work of Cowboys five-eighth Jake Clifford. He managed to put Tyrone Peachey into open space, with Peachey drawing the fullback to send Trbojevic over under the post. I'm sure his brother will be delighted reading this back home. Some would say Jake is the better of the brothers.

Lomax converts to send Australia out to a 12-0 lead after 14 minutes.

4.44pm: Strong start from Australia. David Klemmer heavily involved early. Some strong carries. Also Ben Hunt looking dangerous out of dummy half.

Shoutout to Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic who has been hassling NRL.com for live updates to keep tabs on his brother Jake.

4.40pm: TRY! A lovely cut-out pass from captain Daly Cherry-Evans is to thank for that try. He sailed a ball over the top of the PNG winger, finding Brian Kelly who in turn provided for Nick Cotric to stroll over untouched. Australia lead 6-0. Dragons centre Zac Lomax converts from the sideline after 9 minutes.

4.38pm: Strong opening sets from both teams but a penalty to Australia puts them deep on the attack. Deft touch from Clifford, earns a repeat set for the Australians.

David Klemmer runs full steam ahead at Canterbury teammate Rhys Martin. Very heavy collision.

Once again Clifford showing off his short kicking game. Lovely grubber for another set for the Aussie PM's XIII.

4.33pm: And we're off! The Australian team kick off to get things underway.

TERRIBLE START! Out on the full from the kick off from Jake Clifford. There's a heavy breeze behind the Aussies and that sails over the sideline into the stands.

4.31pm: Anthems done and dusted. It's time for a bit of footy. Looking forward to seeing how some of these young guys go, in particularly fullback Corey Allan. He's leaving the Broncos for South Sydney next year and there's plenty of high opinions of him.

The other interesting thing will be to see which middle forwards win their way into the Kangaroos team for next week's Test against New Zealand. You'd think one of Aaron Woods, David Klemmer, Jordan McLean, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Josh McGuire and Jake Trbojevic will miss out.

4.25pm: The two teams are out on the field for the national anthems. What an incredible reception for the locals. One of the best atmospheres you will experience in rugby league. They love their footy here in Papua New Guinea. 

4.10pm: Here's our match report from the women's game.

3.55pm: TRY! Aussie prop Asipau Mafi is too strong from close range, crashing over under the the posts. That's full-time here in PNG for the women's game. The Aussie PM's XIII team far too strong, with Shakia Tungai bagging a hat-trick to lead her side to a 40-4 win.

3.48pm: Michaela Peck down injured - looks to be a head knock/concussion. Doctor is with her now. She is coming from the field.

3.44pm: Some enterprising footy being played by the Aussies. Some flick passes, fancy footwork really testing the Orchids defence. Crowd really getting into this now as the Aussies threaten to cross again.

3.36pm: The Orchids almost cross for their second try of the afternoon but they are unable to capitalise on an overlap after Janet Michael put down a pass. Crowd starting to build nicely - at about 80 per cent capacity heading into men's game.

3.29pm: TRY! That's a hat-trick for Shakiah Tungai. Chases another kick down to score her third of the afternoon. Impressive outing from the winger. Australia lead 34-4 as she fails to convert her own try from the sideline.

Both teams come from the field for a drinks break in these sweltering conditions.

3.24pm: TRY! The ball goes through the hands and the Aussies score out wide through Najvada George. Nice try from the Aussie women's team. They now lead 30-4 with 24 minutes remaining until full-time.

3.23pm: A very strong run from Sally Dwyer ends up with her being lifted into a dangerous position by the Orchids defence. Penalty blown and she is straight to her feet.

3.19pm: Just chatting with Corey Allan - the first ever men's player to make his PM's XIII debut without an NRL game to his name. Allan will wear the No.1 jersey for the Australian side.
"I'm pretty nervous and excited about it. At first I was overwhelmed but the longer I've been in camp the more comfortable I've felt. I've been spending quite a bit of time with Brian Kelly so it's been pretty good."

3.14pm: INJURY: Some concern being shown for Aussie centre Hannah Southwell. She landed awkwardly on her head in a heavy tackle. She's currently being treated by the trainer. Fingers crossed she is okay.

...Some positive news. Southwell is back up on her feet and helped from the field. She is able to walk off but looks very stiff and sore after that tackle. She's taken her place on the bench but I think that will be the last we see of her this afternoon.

3.12pm: Sitting on the sideline with big David Klemmer, ahead of the men's PM's XIII game against their PNG counterparts: "This is a big game for us. There's a lot of pressure on the forward pack ahead of selection next week for the Kiwi game. I'm also excited to play with these young guys - some of them will be superstars of the future. I've really been impressed with Corey Allan, Zac Lomax and Jakey Clifford."

3.08pm: TRY! A massive run from the Aussie captain Rebecca Young. She runs over the top of several Orchids defenders to score under the post. Lead extended to 26-4.

3.06pm: Back underway for the second half as the Aussie men's team arrive at the ground.

2.58pm: Some great commitment to spread the word from ARLC chairman Peter Beattie. He's sitting atop the grandstand live streaming the match to his thousands of Twitter followers.

2.52pm: TRY! The Orchids are in for their first try of the afternoon. Naomi Kaupa scores out wide just as the siren sounded. Conversion unsuccessful. Australia lead 20-4 at half-time.

2.47pm: TRY! The second of the afternoon for winger Shakiah Tungai. She's unable to convert from the sideline but Australia now lead 20-0 on the stroke of half-time.

2.42pm: Heavy shot from Aaliyah Fasavalu-Fa'amausili. She forces a mistake to send the Aussies on the attack.

2.38pm: TRY! The youngest player on the field, 17-year-old Rhiannon Revell-Blair from Brisbane, dives over in the corner, but it was the magical cut-out pass from Michaela Peck down a narrow blind side that set that up. Tungai fails to convert but the Aussies lead 16-0 with 10 minutes remaining until half-time.

2.35pm: Almost another try to the Aussies but a runaway Sarah Togatuki is brought down in cover by PNG fullback Amelia Kuk.

2.34pm: Great sideline kick from Tungai to convert her own try. Especially when you consider the reasonably strong wind blowing in her face as she hit that. Australia lead 12-0.

2.33pm: TRY! Shakiah Tungai dives on to a beautiful grubber kick from five-eighth Keeley Davis. Davis attracted a couple of defenders and then dribbled one behind the line to find an unmarked Tungai. 10-0 lead to the Australians.

2.24pm: Some quality defence here from the Orchids denies the Australian women's PM's XIII another try as the teams come from the field for a drinks break almost halfway through the opening stanza. The Aussies lead PNG 6-0 with 21 minutes remaining until the main break.

2.18pm: An embarrassing blunder from the Orchids. Their fullback and winger collide trying to take a kick from Quincy Dodd. Australia on the the attack again.

2.16pm: A knock on from Aussie five-eighth Keeley Davis from the next set. She's hammered to the turf in a heavy tackle, gifting the Orchids strong their first attacking raid of the match. 

But the Orchids are unable to turn pressure into points, coughing up possession a couple of tackles later.

2.13pm: First points! A lovely short ball from halfback Quincy Dodd puts Talesha Quinn over for the opening try of the match. A lovely ball from Dodd.

Kick converted by Shakiah Tungai from just to the right of the posts. The Aussies lead 6-0 after 10 minutes here in Port Moresby.

2.11pm: Australia fail to put points in the board in their opening attacking raid but a couple of consecutive penalties sees them piggy-backed out of their own half. Applying plenty of pressure on the Orchids defence.

2.07pm: Strong opening sets from both teams - a very physical start to the match. The Aussies give away a penalty for tackling off the ball but the Orchids fail to find touch. The Aussies deep on the attack now.

2pm: National anthems of both countries have been performed. Time for the footy.

It's the PNG Orchids who will receive as the crowd continues to build nicely ahead of the men's game.

1.55pm: Both teams are out on to the field. A relatively young and inexperienced Australian women's team up against a full-strength PNG side. A few official duties taking place as we await kick off here in Port Moresby.

1.50pm: Welcome to a very hot and humid Port Moresby for what promises to be an entertaining afternoon of football. It's currently 31 degrees here in Port Moresby, but that's not going to stop around 16,000 rugby league-mad Papua New Guineans from filling Oil Search Stadium throughout the day.

1.40pm: As we count down to today's games, have a listen to representative and Manly Sea Eagles teammates Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic talk to NRL.com's Michael Chammas in Port Moresby in this week's NRL Podcast.