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Papua New Guinea vs Wales |
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Papua New Guinea v Wales |
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2017 Rugby League World Cup: Pool C, Round 1, October 28 - National Football Stadium, Port Moresby | ||
Papua New Guinea | Wales | |
50 | SCORE | 6 |
10 | Tries | 1 |
5 | Conversions | 1 |
0 | Penalty Goals | 0 |
0 | Field Goals | 0 |
The PNG Kumuls have had a dream start to their World Cup campaign, beating Wales 50-6 in front of their home fans at a packed National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Papua New Guinea 50
Wales 6
Playing in front of their passionate home fans, the Papua New Guinea Kumuls will be the heavy favourites when they take on Wales in their first round World Cup Pool C match. Join The Roar for all the action from 4pm (AEDT).
Despite being heavily backed to win this match, the Kumuls have actually lost to Wales in the only three Test matches ever played between the countries.
But this team is arguably the strongest PNG have ever fielded, with captain David Mead, James Segeyaro, Nene McDonald and Kurt Baptiste providing plenty of NRL experience.
Six players from the Queensland Cup premiership-winning Papua New Guinea Hunters are also in the 17, including the Boas brothers in the halves, while winger Garry Lo and lock Paul Aiton have been playing in the English Super League.
The Welsh have mainly Super League players donning the jersey and are captained by prop Craig Kopczak, who plays for Salford.
London Broncos winger Rhys Williams is one to keep an eye on – he has a great strike rate in internationals, with 18 tries from his 23 Tests for the Dragons.
Wales have reached the semi-finals of the World Cup on two occasions in the tournament’s history – 1995 and 2000 – while the Kumuls’ best effort was making the quarter-finals in 2000.
Prediction
A win in this opening match would be the confidence-boosting start that both teams need, but it will be the home side who get the chocolates.
Papua New Guinea by 14.