Results, key facts and tables from Round 1 of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
Round 1 of the Rugby League World Cup already has its upset: Tonga beat England 30-12 in Perth, their first ever win over the English. Australia needed a 76th-minute try to edge New Zealand 24-22, while Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Fiji opened with comfortable wins.
Tonga topple England
In front of 18,302 fans in Perth, Tonga led 10-0 at the break through a Stefano Utoikamanu try and Isaiya Katoa’s boot. England hit back through AJ Brimson and Dom Young, but a Haumole Olakau’atu double and a Tolutau Koula try settled it, with Katoa’s goal-kicking doing the rest. Nine years after losing the 2017 semi-final 20-18, Tonga finally have a win over England. Brian McDermott’s side now face a tense run: only two of the six nations in Groups B and C, ranked on a combined table, reach the semi-finals.
Australia survive
The opener lived up to its billing. With a Casey McLean try, a Kalyn Ponga double and 10 points from Jamayne Isaako’s boot, New Zealand still led 22-20 with a quarter of an hour left. Jack Bostock, at his first World Cup, then completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute to win it 24-22 for the Kangaroos. Reece Walsh also crossed. As in the 2022 semi-final (16-14), two points separated the sides.
In the same group, Fiji went top on points difference by beating the Cook Islands 40-12 in Newcastle: seven tries, including a Solomone Saukuru double, and six conversions from Brandon Wakeham.
Samoa and PNG up and running
Samoa scored 14 tries against France (78-4). Sualauvi Faalogo grabbed four, matching Taylan May against the same opponents in 2022, and Stephen Crichton finished with 26 points (one try, 11 conversions). It is Samoa’s highest World Cup score, beyond the 72 points put past Greece in 2022, and their third win in three World Cup meetings with France after 2008 (42-10) and 2022 (62-4). Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet scored France’s only try in the 24th minute.
Papua New Guinea beat Lebanon 42-18 with seven tries. Rhyse Martin landed all seven conversions and scored a try for 18 points. Abbas Miski crossed twice for Lebanon.
Round 2 fixtures
Tonga v Lebanon opens Round 2 on October 23. On the 24th, PNG host Samoa for top spot on the combined table and France face an England side with no margin for error. On the 25th, New Zealand meet the Cook Islands and Australia take on Fiji.
Round 1 results
Group A
| Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 24-22 | New Zealand |
| Fiji | 40-12 | Cook Islands |
Groups B and C
| Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|
| Samoa | 78-4 | France |
| Papua New Guinea | 42-18 | Lebanon |
| England | 12-30 | Tonga |
Tables after Round 1
Group A (top two reach the semi-finals)
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | Diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fiji | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +28 | 2 |
| 2 | Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 2 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Cook Islands | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -28 | 0 |
Groups B and C (combined table, top two reach the semi-finals)
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | Diff | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samoa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +74 | 2 |
| 2 | Papua New Guinea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +24 | 2 |
| 3 | Tonga | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +18 | 2 |
| 4 | England | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -18 | 0 |
| 5 | Lebanon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -24 | 0 |
| 6 | France | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -74 | 0 |
Two points for a win, one for a draw. Group B is England, Samoa and Lebanon, Group C is Tonga, PNG and France: each team plays the three nations of the other group.
Key figures
78 pts Samoa's highest World Cup score, against France
3 tries Jack Bostock hat-trick for Australia against New Zealand
1st Tonga's first ever win over England (30-12)
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