Walsh stars as Kangaroos outclass Cook Islands

In Townsville, the Kangaroos secured their place in the Rugby League World Cup group stage as they concluded their Pool A matches against the Cook Islands. The match served as a reminder of Fiji's previous close encounter with New Zealand, which took place at Lang Park. Despite Fiji's formidable forwards overpowering the Australian pack earlier, they were unable to replicate the same dominance against the Cook Islands.

New Zealand's Ronaldo Mulitalo was shown the red card for a high tackle, while Fiji's Brandon Wakeham retaliated with a head-butting incident. Meanwhile, the Kiwis were on a roll, securing a commanding 78-0 victory, with Casey McLean scoring four tries to reach seven for the tournament. Winger Jamayne Isaako added 13 points with his goal-kicking efforts, accumulating a total of 31/32 points across three games.

Papua New Guinea's Orchids came close to an upset against New Zealand's Kiwi Ferns, leading 12-8 with mere minutes remaining in the first half. Kaiyah Atai's try in the 34th minute allowed the Ferns to take a 14-12 halftime lead. Otesa Pule's bold long-range effort kept the pressure on in the second half. As ABC Sport continues its live coverage of this thrilling Rugby League World Cup action in Townsville, the Kangaroos have firmly wrapped up their group stage games.