Scans Confirm Broken Arm for Kalyn Ponga, Out of Rest of Rugby League World Cup
Friday scans confirmed Kalyn Ponga broke his left arm in New Zealand's World Cup-opening 24-22 loss to Australia — he played on for 20 minutes, scored twice, and now faces surgery that rules him out of the rest of the tournament.
New Zealand's Rugby League World Cup campaign has suffered a crushing blow before it barely began. Friday scans confirmed that Kalyn Ponga broke his left arm in Thursday's 24-22 tournament-opening defeat to Australia in Sydney, ending — in all likelihood — the superstar fullback's tournament.
Ponga picked up the injury while tackling Cameron Munster early in the second half, then remarkably played on for roughly 20 more minutes, scoring a sensational solo try before leaving the field in the 70th minute with his arm in a sling post-match. Team doctor Greg Macleod said in a statement the Newcastle Knights captain had been booked in for surgery on Friday "after breaking the radius in his left arm."
The loss of Ponga is seismic for the Kiwis. The two-try hero on his New Zealand debut after switching allegiance from Australia this year was widely seen as central to their hopes of a first World Cup since 2008, and his combination with Reece Walsh had been billed as the defining duel of the opening week. Macleod left open only the slimmest of lifelines: a possible return before the November 15 final remains in camp's thoughts for now.
Australia have injury concerns of their own. Mitchell Moses injured his calf in the same match, and coach Kevin Walters confirmed Tom Dearden and Sam Walker will form a new halves pairing for Sunday's clash with Fiji.