Rugby League World Cup Preview: Papua New Guinea

At The Sporting Base, we will be previewing all 16 Rugby League World Cup nations ahead of the men’s tournament’s kick-off on 15 October. We turn our attention to Papua New Guinea and just how far the passionate band of Kumuls can go in their eighth-consecutive World Cup campaign.

IRL Ranking: 5th

Group: D

Schedule: Tonga (Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens); Cook Islands (Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington); Wales (Eco-Power Stadium, Doncaster)

World Cup Appearances: 7 (1985-88, 1989-92, 1995, 2000, 2008, 2013, 2017)

Best Result: Quarterfinals (2000, 2017)

Head Coach: Stanley Tepend

Title Odds: $151

One of rugby league’s proudest countries Papua New Guinea will enter this year’s World Cup with an unshakeable air of confidence and hopes of mixing it up with some international heavyweights come the pointy end of the tournament.

Their last international outing was a 24-14 upset win over Fiji at Campbelltown earlier this year with halfback Lachlan Lam notching a double.

Their last World Cup campaign ended with a 36-6 quarterfinals loss to runners-up England at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

The opening clash of their campaign will be against powerhouses Tonga in St Helens before they face the Cook Islands in Warrington and Wales in Doncaster. Tonga will be a difficult opening test before winnable clashes against the Kukis and Welsh.

The Kumuls backline is set to feature some high-end NRL talent alongside several seasoned lower-graders.

South Sydney ace Alex Johnston wore the fullback jersey in their midseason win over Fiji and, whilst he has proven himself as one of the NRL’s premier wingers, is expected to line-up at the back again.

Melbourne’s Xavier Coates is expected to earn one wing spot should he commit with North Queensland’s Robert Derby, PNG Hunters’ Terry Wapi, Leigh’s Nene Macdonald, St. George Illawarra’s Treigh Stewart and Townsville’s Edene Gebbie among the options to partner him.

Melbourne star Justin Olam will line-up at left centre with Macdonald his most likely partner after the retirement of veteran David Mead with Townsville’s Zac Laybutt and youngsters Dudley Dotoi and Samual Elara among other options.

Townsville’s Kyle Laybutt and Leigh’s Lachlan Lam both had strong outings in the halves against Fiji and should line-up there again with Redcliffe’s Patrick Gallen, Doncaster’s Watson Boas, and youngsters Tareq Parter and Henri Stocks among depth alternatives.

Head coach Stanley Tepend will have several hooking options to choose from including Manly’s James Segeyaro, Leigh’s Edwin Ipape, Norths Devils’ Liam Horne and PNG Hunters’ Wartovo Puara Jr.

Their forward pack is not short for options either with Leeds’ Rhyse Martin, PNG Hunters’ Sylvester Namo, Emmanuel Waine, Dilbert Issac and Sherwin Tanabi, Central Queensland’s Nixon Putt, Jedidiah Simbiken, and McKenzie Yei, London’s Wellington Albert, Burleigh’s Jacob Alick, Brisbane Tigers’ Dan Russell, Redcliffe’s Jeremiah Simbiken, Souths Logan’s Cruise Ten, Wynnum-Manly’s Epel Kapinias and Whitehaven’s Dion Aiye all eligible to represent the Kumuls.

Martin will likely start on one edge with Russell or Putt options on the other whilst Kapinias, Namo, Wellington, Alick, Yei and Waine the favourites to make up the middle rotation.

As always, the Kumuls can be counted on to play with passion and brutality, however, the ceiling of this side may come down to the finesse and management of their playmakers. A quarterfinals appearances could be on the cards for the Kumuls and, from then on, anything can happen. Given their draw, a quarterfinals matchup against England or Sāmoa appears most likely.

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