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Message: [QUOTE="Big Pete, post: 2720402, member: 1899"] 1988 Representative Matches AUSTRALIA 70; PAPUA NEW GUINEA 8 Australia tormented and outclassed their Papua New Guinean opponents when the small Riverina town of Wagga hosted the first Australian Test match to be played outside Sydney or Brisbane. A giant, steamrolling Australian team against a small, but will, PNG side proved to be a mismatch. Outside the tropical heat of Port Moresby, the Kumuls had no climatic advantage and Australia took full toll. The Aussies reached the 40s before halftime and from there it was not a question of whether PNG could make a game of it but by how much would Australia win. Michael O’Connor shattered the world record for most points in a Test match, by scoring four tries and landing seven goals for 30 points. It beat Hugh McGahan’s record of 24 (six tries) set in Auckland in 1983. Australia winning margin of 62 points, and their total of 70 were both world records. O’Connor became the third highest pointscorer for Australia with 182 from 14 Tests. Only Mick Cronin (199) and Graeme Langlands (189) have scored more. The Manly ace equalled the Australian record of four tries in a Test match set by John Ribot in 1982 and by Dale Shearer in ’86. O’Connor put the points on the board but it was two Test debutants who were the stand out performers. Allan Langer, the dynamic Queensland halfback, was judged man of the match. He scored two tries and darted all over the field to create mountainous problems for the men from the north. And Cronulla’s Gavin Miller, enjoying his finest season, laid on the sweetly timed passes that sent his team-mates away on countless surges towards the Kumuls line. The Papua New Guineans, diminutive in comparison, refused to submit to the Australian charge and managed to cross Australia’s line once, when winger Mea Morea crossed over. PNG captain Bal Numapo and second-rower Tuiyo Evei were tireless workers and earned praise from the Australians after the match. AUSTRALIA 70 (O’Connor 4, Langer 2, Meninga 2, Jack, Lewis, Currie, Fullerton-Smith, Miller, Conescu tries; O’Connor 7 goals) defeated PAPUA NEW GUINEA 8 (Morea try; Numapo 2 goals) Australia Garry Jack, Michael O’Connor, Mal Meninga, Peter Jackson, Tony Currie Wally Lewis ©, Allan Langer Paul Dunn, Greg Conescu, Phil Daley, Wally Fullerton-Smith, Gavin Miller, Wayne Pearce Reserves: Paul Vautin, Des Hasler PNG Ipisa Wanega, Arnold Krewanty, Dairi Kovae, Bal Numapo ©, Mea Morea Lauta Atoi, Darius Haili Thomas Rombuk, Michael Matmillo, Daroa Ben-Moide, Mathias Kombra, Tuiyo Evei, Joe Gispe Andrew Kuno, Sam Karara [/QUOTE]

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