New Zealand have named Kalyn Ponga on the reserve list for their Rugby League World Cup semi-final against Tonga, just three weeks after he sustained a broken forearm. Hooker Phoenix Crossland has also joined him on the reserve list following the completion of a four-match ban.
Ponga and Crossland Back in Contention
Ponga suffered the broken arm on October 15 during the tournament’s opening match, a thrilling encounter which New Zealand lost to Australia. The full-back continued playing for approximately 20 minutes with the injury as Australia narrowly triumphed 24-22, before undergoing surgery. Head coach Stacey Jones had expressed optimism at the time that Ponga could recover for the final on November 15 if the team advanced.
Crossland is available again after sitting out the entire group stage due to suspension. The Newcastle Knights hooker received a red card for a hip-drop tackle on Australia’s Nathan Cleary during a match against the Penrith Panthers in the NRL play-offs on September 27. The incident resulted in a compound fracture and dislocation of Cleary’s left ankle, keeping him out of the home World Cup. Crossland apologized to Cleary, missed the NRL Grand Final—which the Knights lost to the Sydney Roosters—and sat out all three of New Zealand’s Group A fixtures.
Neither Crossland nor Ponga are currently in the starting line-up for Saturday’s semi-final as reserves, but both could be promoted into the 19-man matchday squad later in the week ahead of the fixture against Tonga in Newcastle, New South Wales.
Semi-Final Line-ups and Fixtures
Tonga kept their squad unchanged from their final group match, having finished top of Group B-C following a 20-18 victory over Samoa. Tonga previously defeated England 30-12 in their opening game on October 17 and will aim to replicate their group-stage win against New Zealand from the 2017 World Cup.
In the other men’s semi-final, reigning champions Australia meet Samoa in Sydney on Sunday. Australia selected an unchanged thirteenth, with Reece Walsh retaining the full-back position ahead of James Tedesco. Samoa bring in Ronald Volkman at stand-off after losing Chanel Harris-Tavita to a hamstring injury.
In the women’s semi-finals, tournament favourites Australia revert to full strength to face Fiji in Sydney on Sunday after resting players for their final group match against Wales. Jocelyn Kelleher returns at stand-off alongside props Millie Elliott, Simaima Taufa, and hooker Olivia Higgins. Tiana Penitani Gray comes back following a foot injury to join Shaylee Bent and Olivia Kernick in the back row, and Maria Paseka returns on the wing.
In Saturday’s women’s semi-final, New Zealand take on Samoa, who previously eliminated England with a 24-6 victory in Wollongong.
