Tonga edge Samoa in blockbuster, both join heavyweights in World Cup semis
SYDNEY: Tonga edged Samoa in a Rugby League World Cup thriller on the third weekend of the tournament to earn a semi-final against New Zealand with their fellow Pacific islanders moving on to play perennial world champions Australia for a place in the final.
The Rugby League World Cup delivered a blockbuster clash as Tonga edged out Samoa in a thrilling semifinal encounter, paving the way for the Pacific Islanders to face New Zealand and perennial world champions Australia in the next round. The sellout crowd of 29,411 at Western Sydney Stadium saw Australia's Pasifika communities demonstrate their deep passion for their teams.
England, who had previously defeated Papua New Guinea, failed to secure a crucial victory over Tonga and will not participate in the semi-finals for the first time. Australia and New Zealand triumphed in their respective group games, with the Kangaroos defeating the Cook Islands 66-6 and the Kiwis edging out Fiji 78-0. Australia, who have won 12 of the 16 World Cups, will face New Zealand in the upcoming game after securing a dominant performance.
Tonga, featuring several State of Origin forwards, will be looking to upset the tournament favorites, while New Zealand, having been the most dominant team so far, will face formidable opponents in the semi-finals.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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