New Zealand beat Tonga to reach World Cup final
Kalyn 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.
New Zealand reached their first Rugby League World Cup final since 2013 after defeating Tonga 34-10 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, according to the New Straits Times. Despite being 10-6 down, New Zealand held a narrow 12-10 lead at the break before taking control in the second half. Scorers for the Kiwis included Briton Nikora, Dane Gagai, Casey McLean, Jahrome Hughes, Xavier Willison, and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. BBC Sport noted that Kalyn Ponga returned to inspire the victory.
The final is scheduled for November 15 in Brisbane, where New Zealand will face either Samoa or defending champions Australia. New Straits Times reported that New Zealand captain James Fisher-Harris stated the team had worked hard to reach the decider and would not take the achievement for granted.
In other sports news, Nigeria's Flamingos will face Japan in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, according to Punch. Nigeria is the first African country to reach the tournament's final, having recovered from an opening 2-1 defeat to Poland to win five subsequent matches.
Japan, seeking their second title, is the first team in the competition's history to score 150 goals. Premium Times noted that Nigeria's ability to find new leaders depending on match demands could be a decisive advantage.
Brief written by urgent.news from BBC Sport, Punch Nigeria, New Straits Times, Punch, Premium Times — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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