[RLWC2017] Scorecard for round three

Author: Image , www.photosport.nz
Timestamp: Mon 13 Nov 2017, 10:51 AM

England will play Papua New Guinea at AMII Park in Melbourne next Sunday after both nations secured their quarter-final spots with big wins as the Rugby League World Cup pool games came to an exciting conclusion on the weekend.

England's 36-6 defeat of France also confirmed an historic quarter-final berth for Lebanon as the third-placed team in Pool B, while the Kumuls’ record 64-0 win against the United States ensured they finished top of Pool C after winning all three of their matches in Port Moresby.

Lebanon will face Tonga at AMI Stadium in Christchurch next Saturday after the Mate Ma'a stunned New Zealand 22-16 to finish first in Pool B while the Kiwis will play Fiji, which also finished undefeated in Pool D following their 38-10 defeat of Italy in Canberra on Friday night.

Australia finished top of Pool A, ahead of England, after its 34-0 defeat of a brave and battered Lebanon in Sydney on Saturday night and will meet Samoa, the third-placed team in Pool B, at Darwin Stadium next Friday night.

Samoa qualified on a for-and-against over Scotland after snatching a 14-14 draw in a thrilling match at Barlow Park in Cairns on Saturday.

England gets job done in Perth

England scored seven tries against France at nib Stadium and, while it was enough to progress to the quarter-finals, it’ll face a tougher test against its next opponent Papua New Guinea.

Wayne Bennett's men led 26-6 at halftime and went further ahead when winger Jermaine McGillvary scored in the 42nd minute but England managed only one more try as its intensity dropped and the errors increased to finish a 36-6 winner.

MATCH DETAILS

nib Stadium, Perth

England Lions 36 (Jermaine McGillvary 2, Gareth Widdop, Stefan Ratchford, James Graham, Mark Percival, John Bateman tries; Gareth Widdop 4 conversions).

France Chanticleers 6 (Benjamin Garcia try; Lucas Albert conversion).

Halftime: 26-6 Lions.

Referee: Phil Bentham (England).

Crowd: 14,744.

Wolfhounds bow out with heads held high

Ireland finished its Rugby League World Cup campaign in style with a 34-6 defeat of Wales at nib Stadium in Perth on Sunday.

Despite winning two of their three games, the Wolfhounds exit the tournament after last weekend’s 14-6 loss to Papua New Guinea left them second in Pool C behind the Kumuls but the Irish confirmed themselves as the best of the Celtic teams by piling on six tries to one.

MATCH DETAILS

nib Stadium, Perth

Ireland Wolfhounds 34 (Oliver Roberts 2, Api Pewhairangi, Joe Philbin, Liam Finn, Liam Kay tries; Liam Finn 5 conversions).

Wales Dragons 6 (Ben Morris try; Courtney Davies conversion).

Halftime: 22-0 Wolfhounds.

Referee: Ben Thaler (England).

Crowd: 14,744.

Kumuls romp to record win

Papua New Guinea secured a quarter-final berth against England in Melbourne next Sunday by posting a record 64-0 win over the United States at Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.

The Kumuls scored at almost a point per minute as their blistering attack terrorised the Hawks, busting through the defensive line on 13 separate occasions as they racked up their highest-ever World Cup total.

Lachlan Lam, the son of former PNG captain and coach Adrian Lam, scored two first half tries in his Test debut for the Kumuls.

MATCH DETAILS

Oil Search National Football Stadium, Port Moresby

Papua New Guinea Kumuls 64 (Justin Olam 3, Lachlan Lam 2, James Segeyaro, Rod Griffin, Stargroth Amean, David Mead, Watson Boas, Nene Macdonald tries; Rhyse Martin 10 conversions).

United States Hawks 0.

Halftime: 34-0 Kumuls.

Referee: Adam Gee (Australia)

Crowd: 14,800.

Kangaroos get away from committed Cedars

A large contingent of Lebanon supporters created an electric atmosphere at the Sydney Football Stadium and their team gave them plenty of opportunities to beat their drums before going down 34-0.

A great crowd of 21,127 saw Lebanon compete well to be behind just 0-10 until the 50th minute before the Aussies piled on four converted tries to run away with the match with the scoreline not a true reflection of the game.

MATCH DETAILS

Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Australia Kangaroos 34 (Cameron Munster 2, James Maloney, Boyd Cordner, Dane Gagai, Tom Trbojevic tries; James Maloney 4 conversions; Cameron Smith conversion).

Lebanon Cedars 0.

Halftime: 10-0 Kangaroos.

Referee: James Child (England).

Crowd: 21,127.

Scotland almost pulls off huge upset

After conceding 124 points in its previous two games and being without skipper Danny Brough, Scotland restored pride and went within centimetres of achieving an unlikely quarter-final berth in a brave effort against Toa Samoa in Cairns.

Bravehearts standoff Danny Addy watched a field goal attempt swing just to the left of the upright in the closing minutes, just failing to break a 14-all deadlock and knock the Samoan side out of the competition.

MATCH DETAILS

Barlow Park, Cairns

Toa Samoa 14 (Junior Paulo, Matthew Wright, Young Tonumaipea tries; Matthew Wright conversion).

Scotland Bravehearts 14 (Lewis Tierney, Frankie Mariano tries; Danny Addy 2 conversions, penalty).

Halftime: 14-6 Bravehearts.

Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia).

Crowd: 8778.

Tonga creates history in Hamilton

The Mate Ma’a Tonga team set the Rugby League World Cup 2017 alight with its incredible come-from-behind victory over New Zealand before a packed house at FMG Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

Not only did the Tongans become the first tier two nation to beat a tier one side, they did so amidst an exhilarating atmosphere created by the crowd of 24,041 but they had to come from 2-16 behind midway through the second half.

MATCH DETAILS

FMG Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

Mate Ma’a Tonga 28 (David Fusitu'a 3, Tuimoala Lolohea, Will Hopoate tries; Sio Siua Taukeiaho 2 conversions, penalty; Tuimoala Lolohea conversion).

New Zealand Kiwis 22 (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Jordan Rapana tries; Shaun Johnson 3 conversions).

Halftime: 16-2.

Referee: Gerard Sutton (Australia).

Crowd: 24,041.

Fiji flies into quarter-finals

Fiji booked its quarter-finals spot with an impressive for-and-against tally of plus 140 to head Pool D after a 38-10 victory over Italy in Canberra.

The Fijian side meets the Kiwis in Wellington next Sunday which should be a spectacular contest.

MATCH DETAILS

GIO Stadium, Canberra

Fiji Bati 38 (Suliasi Vunivalu 3, Kevin Naiqama, Henry Raiwalui, Brayden Wiliame, Marcelo Montoya tries; Apisai Koroisau 3 conversions; Taane Milne 2 conversions).

Italy Azzurri 10 (Josh Mantellato, Nathan Milone tries; Mantellato conversion).

Halftime: 12-4 Bati.

Referee: Robert Hicks (England).

Crowd: 6733.

POINTS TABLES