This Warriors Life runs the rule over the second week of Rugby League World Cup mismatches, including the performances of our Warriors reps, with the support of ComfortGlaze.
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Tonga cruises but Cedars limit damage
Tonga made it two from two, shutting out a committed Lebanon side 36-0 at CommBank Stadium on Friday night. The Cedars trailed just 18-0 until Tonga ran in three tries in the last 11 minutes. Wingers Sione Katoa and Jojo Fifita both bagged doubles, Tolu Koula scored a blistering long-range try to go with two try assists, and veteran five-eighth Tui Lolohea — without a club for 2027 — also notched two try assists.
Warrior watch: Leka Halasima’s 29 minutes off the bench garnered a maiden Test try, along with six runs for 59 metres, five tackle-breaks and 14 tackles.
Samoa put Kumuls to the sword
A second-half demolition job propelled Samoa to their second blowout win of the World Cup, a 64-6 rout of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby. The Kumuls trailed only 18-6 at halftime, but Samoa piled on 10 tries after the break — including four in one blistering five-minute assault. Winger Sua Faalogo (who crossed four times against France in week one), fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and bench forward Shawn Blore grabbed doubles, while the scoreline could have been a lot worse had the Samoa kickers done better than a paltry six conversions from 13 attempts.
Warrior watch: Chanel Harris-Tavita delivered four try assists for Samoa — one of which came after he handed the ball off to a teammate over the tryline. CHT landed just two goals from six attempts. Starting at halfback for PNG after switching to the bench in a late change last week, recent Warriors signing Bailey Biondi-Odo scored a try for the second week in a row.
England overcome early French resistance in WA annihilation
At the 20-minute mark, France had held England to a nil-all scoreline at HBF Park in Perth. It quickly unravelled for the underdogs, however, as England piled on 14 tries in a 55-minute onslaught. An NRL-heavy back-five flourished, with Herbie Farnworth and Dom Young grabbing hat-tricks, AJ Brimson making a game-high 289 metres along with a try, five line-breaks and three try assists, and Hugo Savala slotting 13 conversions. A win over Papua New Guinea and a Samoa victory over Tonga would catapult England into the semis.
Warrior watch: N/A
Kiwis put early scare behind them to carve out 14-try win over Kukis
An eight-minute hat-trick to winger Esom Ioka gave Cook Islands a shock 16-12 lead over New Zealand after 20 minutes, but the Kiwis’ might eventually took hold in an emphatic 82-16 win under the roof in Christchurch. Jamayne Isaako clock a new Kiwis Test record with 38 points from three tries and 13 goals, while fellow Canterbury prodcut Tanner Stowers-Smith made a dream two-try debut off the bench.
Warrior watch: Tanner Stowers-Smith stole the show with a powerhouse 19-run display for 174 metres and seven tackle-breaks to go with his two tries. Jacob Laban was solid off the bench in his maiden Test outing, making 65 metres and delivering a try assist. Makeshift centre Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (nine runs for 99 metres, three try assists, one try) and Erin Clark (15 runs for 148 metres, three offloads) were very strong, while James Fisher-Harris (nine runs for 85 and 15 tackles) did his job. Te Maire Martin may have given Andrew Webster some food for thought in a 29-minute showing at dummy-half, brilliantly setting up one try, backing up to score his own and having a couple of classy touches in other four-pointers. Young playmaker Maui Winitana-Patelesio made nine runs for 43 metres, had a line-break assist and 20 tackles at five-eighth for the Kukis.
Fiji makes huge statement in gallant loss to Australia
Fiji delivered arguably the most impressive — and certainly the most overachieving — team performance of the RLWC so far, pushing Australia all the way in a 36-22 loss at Suncorp Stadium. The fired-up, physical Bati led 10-6 after 26 minutes and 16-12 early in the second half as one of the great boilovers threatened to materialise. After a couple of agonising lost opportunities for the Bati, a 15-minute hat-trick to Tom Trbojevic gave the bustled Kangaroos some breathing space. But opposing winger Semi Valemei’s third try gave Fiji a late sniff, before Jacob Preston crossed to seal the deal for hosts. Fiji five-eighth and Dolphins utility Kurt Donoghoe was a resounding man of the match, laying on three of his side’s four tries and threatening the Kangaroos all night. The Batis’ performance sets up a massive showdown with the Kiwis this Saturday with the winner progressing to the semis.
Warrior watch: Front-row tyro Emosi Ravosai produced an eye-catching 38-minute shift off the bench for Fiji, making eight runs for 68 metres and 12 tackles.
Women’s RLWC: Gulf illustrated in second-round mismatches
The weekend’s four Women’s Rugby League World Cup matches saw the four victors outscore their opponents 286 points to four. Samoa scored 14 tries in a 76-0 defeat of Wales and world champions Australia crossed 15 times in a 78-0 rout of third-ranked England. RLWC debutants Fiji followed up a gallant first-up loss to New Zealand with a 40-4 demolition of Papua New Guinea, before the Kiwi Ferns racked up a record-breaking 92-0, 18-try win over hapless France.
Warrior watch: Veteran fullback Apii Nicholls scored four tries, and centres Stacey Waaka and Mele Hufanga both nabbed hat-tricks and had a pair of try assists apiece. Kiwi Ferns rookie and Warriors player of the year Kaiyah Atai scored a try in the second-row, while front-rower Ivana Lauitiiti was a menace with 12 runs for 153 metres, two line-breaks and a try assist. Samoa forwards Annetta Nuuausala (12 runs for 179 metres) and Christabelle Onesemo-Tuilaepa (seven runs for 80 metres) were a handful for Wales.
Meanwhile, thanks to Georgia Hale and Ricky Henry for going two-on-one with me in an otherwise deserted Kiwi Ferns press conference.