MANCHESTER – Kangaroos lock Isaah Yeo has escaped a ban after being put on report for a crusher tackle in their 66-6 victory over Italy.
Yeo was cited for the incident, but the Match Review Panel decided to take no further action with the contact deemed accidental. “Player creates space for opponents head,” they wrote. “Opponent’s head accidentally bangs against player’s thigh as being taken to ground.”
High tackles from Ben Hunt and Lindsay Collins were also investigated, but no further action recommended.
Less successful was Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. The Kiwi enforcer made his first appearance of the tournament after sitting out the first two games with a suspension, and will likely miss their quarter-final with Fiji after being found guilty of dangerous contact for a high shot on Ireland’s Dan Norman.
The MRP instituted a one-match penalty notice after the incident, which was described as a ‘dog shot’ by Ireland coach Ged Corcoran and, on another day, might have resulted in a send off from referee Robert Hicks.
The Kiwis have not appealed the decision, meaning Waerea-Hargreaves will miss this weekend but would be free to play in a potential semi-final against Australia.
Papua New Guinea are on a World Cup quarter-final collision course with tournament hosts England after demolishing Wales 36-0 in Doncaster.
The Kumuls barely got out of second gear as they ran in six tries in front of 6968 fans to round out the group stages of the tournament.
The victory, which guarantees Stanley Tepend’s side a spot in the 2025 edition in France, sets up a rematch of the 2017 quarter-final with the English on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) in Wigan.
PNG were comfortably beaten when the two sides met in Melbourne five years ago.
But in the intervening period they have knocked off the Great Britain Lions and pushed Tonga to the wire.
Under the guidance of Tepend and his assistant coach Shane Flanagan the Kumuls have a new-found defensive steel.
Along with their attacking panache and the form of Melbourne centre Justin Olam, who delivered his most impressive showing of the tournament so far, they will give England plenty to think about.
Crafty five-eighth Kyle Laybutt put the Kumuls ahead after just eight minutes and the Kumuls followed up with tries to back-row pair Dan Russell and Nixon Putt.
The pick of the bunch went to rising Wests Tigers winger Jimmy Ngutlik.
The PNG flyer showed a clean pair of heels to burst through the middle of the Welsh defence and run in to score from 60 metres out for the try of the night.
The Kumuls led 24-0 at the break, with Putt adding a second to his tally not long after halftime.
In torrid conditions, neither side threatened much for the remainder of the second half but Ngutlik dived on a loose ball to score his second try in the dying stages.
With AAP
The Jillaroos make their World Cup bow on Wednesday night (Thursday morning AEDT) against the Cook Islands in York, with ten debutants in their squad of 17.
“We’ve picked a very well-balanced squad with experience and youth. We are really excited to see the 10 debutantes take the field after successful NRLW seasons,” said coach Brad Donald.
Donald has opted for the same policy as Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga, with all 24 squad members to be given an opportunity in the group stages, which start against the Moana this week and France next week before a crunch clash with the Kiwi Ferns.
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That means stars like Jess Sergis, Emma Tonegato, Shaylee Bent and Keilee Joseph are missing from the first game, with stalwarts such as Ali Brigginshaw, Isabelle Kelly and captain Kezie Apps set to provide leadership.
Of the debutantes, headliners include former Sevens gold medallist Evania Pelite of the Gold Coast Titans, NSW and Newcastle breakout star Caitlan Johnston and rampaging Roosters backrower Olivia Kernick.
Shenae Ciesiolka, Shannon Mato, Lauren Brown, Taliah Fuimaono, Kennedy Cherrington and Yasmin Clydesdale are the remaining first-timers.
England legend Staurt Fielden has written his fellow countrymen off, despite their strong start to the tournament, claiming that they cannot touch the big two from the Southern Hemisphere.
The hosts cannot meet the Kangaroos or Kiwis until the final, and must navigate a quarter final against Papua New Guinea before meeting the winner of Tonga v Samoa in the semis.
“Australia and New Zealand are in a different league,” the former Test prop told Serious About RL. “England will get through to the final stages and it’s quite a win having those two on the other side.
“You just can’t say they are going to get anywhere near Australia or New Zealand though. That’s not me being pessimistic, it’s just realism.
“(Shaun) Wane is a good coach and they have been playing pretty well but beating the Aussies and the Kiwis is a tough one, it’s hard to see it happening.”
“It would be great to see them turn out and it becomes one of those real tight games. It would be great to see England finally win it.
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