New Zealand reach men's and women's Rugby League World Cup finals

Summarised from 4 outlets · 8 reports · Updated 7 Nov, 17:46 · Archive

New Zealand's men and women both advanced to Rugby League World Cup finals on Saturday after victories in Newcastle.

New Zealand's women secured a seventh consecutive Rugby League World Cup final with a dominant 32-0 victory over Samoa in Newcastle on Saturday. Centre Stacey Waaka scored a hat-trick as the Kiwi Ferns ran away with the game, particularly in the second half, when they scored four tries in the final 12 minutes. Mackenzie Wiki opened the scoring within two minutes from a Samoa error, then Waaka capitalised on indecision from Samoa winger Mercedez Taulelei-Siala to secure her first try. New Zealand took a narrow 8-0 advantage into half-time before dominating after the break.

Waaka's hat-trick brought her tally to nine tries in the tournament, drawing level with Australia winger Jaime Chapman for the competition's top try scorer. The Kiwi Ferns' second-half onslaught saw Raecene McGregor, Mele Hufanga and Kaiyah Atai also cross the line. The women have made all six previous World Cup finals and won the first three between 2000 and 2008, but have lost three consecutive finals to Australia, including a 54-4 defeat four years ago at Old Trafford.

In the men's semi-final, also in Newcastle, New Zealand beat Tonga 34-10 in what had been billed as one of the most intriguing matches in World Cup history. Full-back Kalyn Ponga, playing just 23 days after breaking his arm, inspired the Kiwis to victory. Ponga had been initially named as a reserve and then on the interchange bench, but head coach Stacey Jones decided to include him in the starting 13. Playing with protective bandaging on his left forearm, Ponga was directly involved in four of New Zealand's six tries.

Briton Nikora scored in the right corner within four minutes, set up by Ponga's contribution from full-back. Dane Gagai grounded the ball for the second try, with Ponga's contest against opposite number Lehi Hopoate crucial to the score. Despite difficult, swirling wind conditions at the McDonald Jones Stadium, Ponga made several telling defensive contributions, including throwing himself in the way of Tonga's Demitric Vaimauga to prevent a certain try, and stalling Hopoate's run to prevent an offload at a critical moment when New Zealand led only 12-10 at the interval.

Tonga had responded well to the early tries and looked dangerous in the first half. Two tries from Jojo Fifita gave the underdogs hope, but Gagai's try shortly before half-time, converted by Jamayne Isaako, ensured New Zealand took a slender 12-10 lead into the break. The second half proved one-sided as the Kiwis ran in four more tries against their fast-tiring opponents. Casey McLean, Xavier Willison and other players crossed the line to seal a comprehensive victory.

The men's win marks New Zealand's first World Cup final appearance since 2013. Both Kiwi teams will face either Australia or Fiji in their respective finals next weekend, with the Jillaroos and debutants Fiji to play their semi-final in Brisbane on Sunday.

How it is being reported

• New Zealand beat Tonga to reach World Cup finalKalyn Ponga returns to inspire New Zealand to a 34-10 victory in a pulsating encounter with Tonga as they reach their first World Cup final since 2013.BBC Sport · 7 Nov, 15:47
• Kiwis reap rewards of gamble on 'freak of nature' PongaKalyn Ponga's return to Rugby League World Cup action, just 23 days after breaking his arm, was a risk. But New Zealand head coach Stacey Jones felt it was a risk worth taking - and was proved right.BBC News · 7 Nov, 13:43
• New Zealand down spirited Tonga to reach Rugby League World Cup finalNew Zealand 34-10 Tonga Kiwis come from behind and will face Australia or Samoa What had been billed as one of the most intriguing Rugby League World Cup semi-finals in history was, in the end, a brutal exposé of the standards the world’s chasing nations must rise to in order to match Australia and New Zealand. Few nations have as close a connection to the rise of international rugby league quite like the Kiwis and Tonga. After all, it was Jason Taumalolo’s decision to switch his international allegiance from New Zealand to the Mate Ma’a in 2017 which lit the touchpaper for the rise of…The Guardian · 7 Nov, 11:25
• Ponga-inspired New Zealand reach World Cup finalKalyn Ponga returns from a broken arm to inspire New Zealand to victory in a pulsating encounter with Tonga as they reach their first World Cup final since 2013.BBC News · 7 Nov, 11:18
• New Zealand power away from Tonga to ease into Rugby League World Cup finalNew Zealand 34-10 Tonga: Buoyed by the return of star full-back Kalyn Ponga, the Kiwis surged away in the second half to set up a final against Australia or SamoaIndependent Sport · 7 Nov, 11:09
• New Zealand reach Women’s Rugby League World Cup final as Waaka hat-trick sinks SamoaKiwi Ferns defeat Fetu Samoa 32-0 in semi-final in Newcastle Centre Stacey Waaka scores three of Kiwi Ferns’ seven tries Star centre Stacey Waaka scored a hat-trick as New Zealand surged past Samoa 32-0 and into their seventh successive Women’s Rugby League World Cup final on Saturday. The Silver Ferns went to the break with a narrow 8-0 advantage then ran rampant in the second half at stormy Newcastle, north of Sydney. Continue reading...Guardian Sport · 7 Nov, 08:36
• New Zealand sweep aside Samoa to reach Women's World Cup finalNew Zealand's women will hope it is fourth time lucky after defeating Samoa 32-0 to reach next Sunday's Rugby League World Cup final.BBC News · 7 Nov, 08:32
• Breaking: Kiwi Ferns advance to seventh consecutive World Cup finalNew Zealand has secured its place in a seventh consecutive women's Rugby League World Cup final after beating Fetu Samoa 32-0.ABC News Australia · 7 Nov, 08:16

In this story: New Zealand · Samoa · Stacey Waaka · Kalyn Ponga · Tonga · Australia · Fiji · Stacey Jones

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