Pacific Nations Stun England and France at Rugby League World Cup

The opening weekend of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, held across Australia, produced two of the most emphatic results in the tournament's history, as Pacific nations announced themselves as the competition's dominant force. In Perth on Saturday, Tonga defeated England 30-12 — their first win over England in seven attempts. Haumole Olakau'atu crossed for two tries and halfback Isaiya Katoa was outstanding as Tonga, still classified as a Tier Two nation, dominated a team that had won three of the first six World Cups as Great Britain. England's defeat leaves them needing to win both remaining group matches and rely on other results to avoid their earliest-ever exit from the tournament. In Sydney on Friday, Samoa were even more devastating, running in 14 tries in a 78-4 demolition of France. Both Pacific nations draw extensively on National Rugby League-based talent, with scores of Australian-based players representing their heritage nations. The results extended a Pacific rising that saw Australia open the tournament with a narrow 24-22 win over New Zealand on Thursday, during which Kiwis fullback Kalyn Ponga suffered a broken forearm and was ruled out for the remainder of the competition. The World Cup, co-hosted across Australian cities, also featured Fiji defeating Cook Islands 40-12 and Papua New Guinea beating Lebanon 42-18.