Tonga Stun England 30–12 in Rugby League World Cup Opener
Tonga defeated England 30–12 in Perth in their opening Rugby League World Cup 2026 pool match, a stunning result that immediately placed England's semi-final ambitions in serious doubt. Haumole Olakau'atu scored twice for Tonga in one of the biggest World Cup upsets.
At HBF Park in Perth on 17 October, Tonga delivered a statement performance to open the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, defeating third-ranked England 30–12 in a result that sent shockwaves through the tournament. Haumole Olakau'atu crossed for a double as Tonga dominated both the forward exchanges and the kicking game, with halfback Isaiya Katoa orchestrating play with authority. The win marked Tonga's first-ever rugby league victory over England and left England, who face France and Papua New Guinea in the remaining pool games, needing wins in both to advance to the semi-finals. The result was felt widely across the region and led the Rugby League World Cup coverage for days after: the PACNEWS regional sports roundup of 21 October still led with Katoa describing the win as 'redemption for Tonga' and the tournament's other early results — Papua New Guinea 42–18 over Lebanon and Fiji 40–12 over Cook Islands — confirmed that Pacific nations were setting the early pace. Australia, the pre-tournament favourites, were set to face Fiji in Brisbane later in the week, with four debutants named in the Kangaroos squad.
