RLWC 2022 | Pool D – PNG 36 Wales 0 Match Centre

Rugby League World Cup’s final of the group stages is the Pool D action featuring PNG v Wales, where PNG can wrap up a place in the knockout stages, or Wales could make things very complicated in Group D.

Our Group D Tonga v Cook Islands Match Centre has a preview, stats, team lists before the game and a summary of the match afterwards. More than you could ever need or want.

If you want more information on all the squads – follow this link here.

PNG v Wales Match Summary

PNG will face England in the knockout stages of the Rugby League World Cup with a comfortable 36-0 win over a very determined Wales side on a very wet night in Doncaster.

An error by Wales on the third play of the match gave the Kumuls are great chance for an early score but wasted that themselves as a loose ball rolled over the sidelines. They blew another chance a few minutes later with a Jimmy Ngutlik break leading to a dropped ball.   The worry for PNG was whether they would handle the wet conditions, but they do have a number of players from the UK competitions.

PNG did eventually cross and it was Kyle Laybutt who got the try. The Kumuls five eighth shaped to pass the ball to a long right-side attack, but threw a dummy and split the Wales defence, similar to a try he scored in the last game. Justin Olam setting up the attack with a couple of determined runs. Rhyse Martin converted for a 6-0 lead.

After Wales kicked out on the full from the kick off, the Kumuls extended their lead when Nixon Putt crashed over from close range. It has to be said that Wales held on very well but eventually relented to the PNG pressure on the last tackle. Rhyse Martin converted for 12-0.

PNG were well on top in the first half, with twice the possession of Wales, a lot of good territory, and gifted penalties and seven tackle sets by Wales, but the Kumuls were unable to extend their lead for a while as the final passes or catches fell short.

Wales got their first chance to really attack the PNG line midway through the first half when they forced a drop out from the Kumuls. A clever early tackle kick to the corner nearly caught the Kumuls out.

But within a minute PNG had scored their third try, and this was all about the evasive speed of Jimmy Ngutlik. The PNG winger split the Welsh middle defense, then poured on the speed for the next 60 metres to score. Jimmy Ngutlik being a good find from the Western Suburbs Magpies, given PNG lost their two first choice wingers before the first game.

After receiving a generous last tackle penalty deep in Welsh territory the Kumuls scored through Dan Russell. The interchange forward powered through the Wales defence close to the line, and used his long arms to reach out and score. Martin made it four from four conversions for a 24-0 lead with half an hour gone.

Wales had their best chance for points in the first half after the fourth PNG try, as they earned repeat sets on the Kumuls line. But the PNG defence stood tall, with the raid eventually ending with the excellent Welsh winger Kyle Evans meeting an Olam wall over the touch line. The half time score was 24-0.

HALF TIME – PNG KUMULS 24 WALES 0

The heavy rain continued as the second half kicked off, and the first minutes were dominated by errors. 

Eventually the Kumuls ball and territory was too much for the Welsh defence, and it was Nixon Putt who scored his second try after powering through the Wales wall close to the line, first pass of the ruck. An easy conversion for Martin made it 30-0.

Wales had a great chance to bring some light to the wet night in Doncaster with a sustained attack on the Kumuls line midway through the second half, but again the Kumuls defence held the Welsh scoreless.

PNG continued to have good chances to extend their lead, but their attack continued to make errors, and if anything, the Welsh team were probably the better side for large parts of the second half.

Just after the hour mark Wales had another sustained attack on the Kumuls line, forcing multiple drop outs. But again Wales were unable to crack the PNG line, the attack ending in a Welsh error. The second half had seen just the one converted try as the rain continued to fall.

PNG couldn’t be anymore generous, handing the ball over to Wales twice on their line from the 70th minute. Kyle Evans coming so close to scoring, dropping the ball over the line.

Eventually PNG got down to the other end and scored their second try of the second half, and it was Jimmy Ngutlik’s second try of the match. The Kumuls took advantage of Wales failing to catch a bomb kick, and the PNG winger was on hand to score. MArtin made it a perfect night with the boot with his sixth conversion.

PNG needed to win, and did just that against a Wales side that tried hard, but weren’t in the same league as the Kumuls. PNG could have won by plenty more, as a number of errors were made pushing the last pass, but it with better conditions a few passes may have stuck. They face England in the knockout, and given the form of the English in this World Cup so far, you’d give the Kumuls zero chance. But let’s not forget that PNG beat a similarly strong Great Britain Lions in 2019, and this World Cup has been shy on a big upset so far.

Wales it has to be said were excellent. They attacked the PNG line for sustained parts of the second half, and with a little more quality could have made a real game of it. Although, kudos to the Kumuls defence too for the nil, which they will need and more in the upcoming game v England.

PNG v Wales Score

PNG KUMULS 36
Tries: Nixon Putt 2 (11, 46) Jimmy Ngutlik 2 (23, 76) Kyle Laybutt 7  Dan Russell 29
Goals: Rhyse Martin 6 (8, 12, 24, 30, 47, 78)

WALES 0
Tries:
Goals: 

PNG v Wales Player of the Match

3 Pts – Jimmy Ngutlik
2 Pts – Wellington Albert
1 Pt – Nixon Putt

PNG v Wales Points of Interest

• Wellington Albert is an underrated hero of the PNG side, and has been for years. The PNG prop was immense for the Kumuls in the opening minutes of the match against, with big, powerful carries and some great offloads that kept the Kumuls rolling.
• While a few tries went begging with some drops and poor passes, we are super impressed with Stanley Tepend and the Kumuls continued focus on attacking rugby league, avoiding the one out plays that stifled the natural abilities of PNG rugby league. Sure the mistakes meant that PNG didn’t win by more, but that attacking edge is needed as the Kumuls play the better opposition where the power game alone won’t beat sides like England or Australia.
• Is Edwin Ipape the hooker of the Rugby League World Cup so far? Ipape has been among the Kumuls best in every game, and his crisp service from dummy half and dangerous runs have been eye catching. People are talking he is NRL-good, but also why would the UK Championship player of the season want to leave the club he helped guide into the Super League.
• Redcliffe Dolphins recruit for 2023 Jeremiah Simbiken did a very good job on debut for the Kumuls, another relatively unknown Dolphins recruit doing well at the World Cup for Wayne Bennett.
• PNG are yet to unlock the Alex Johnston magic at this Rugby League World Cup. Perhaps the conditions didn’t suit Johnston tonight against Wales, and playing fullback for PNG doesn’t bring as many chances, but the South Sydney Rabbitohs star has been quiet to his standards so far. Maybe he’s waiting to explode against England.

PNG v Wales Match Stats

PNG v Wales Teams

PNG KUMULS

1 Alex Johnston
19 Jimmy Ngutlik
3 Nene Macdonald
4 Justin Olam
20 Rodrick Tai
6 Kyle Laybutt
7 Lachlan Lam

8 Wellington Albert
9 Edwin Ipape
17 Emmanuel Waine
11 Nixon Putt
12 Rhyse Martin
13 Jacob Alick

14 Wesser Tenza
15 Dan Russell
21 Sherwin Tanabi
22 Jeremiah Simbiken

WALES

1 Caleb Aekins
2 Rhys Williams
4 Will Evans
6 Elliot Kear
22 Kyle Evans
14 Ollie Olds
7 Josh Ralph

8 Anthony Walker
9 Matty Fozard
24 Gavin Bennion
11 Rhodri Lloyd
17 Bailey Antrobus
16 Joe Burke

10 Dan Fleming
12 Chester Butler
15 Curtis Davies
18 Connor Davies

PNG v Wales Preview

TABLE – W/D/L/F/A/FA/Pts

PNG have had a good Rugby League World Cup so far. Should have got a draw at minimum against Tonga, and after a slow start against the Cook Islands took their chances well and won well in the end.

But, they are certainly not guaranteed of a knockout round place yet, and even victory may not, based on the Tonga v Cook Islands result. So the Kumuls should try to win and win well.

PNG’s attack was a little out of sorts early against Cook Islands, with the early try coming from a brilliant Rodrick Tai catching his opponents unawares. But the Kumuls did look sharper in the second half, which is a good sign going into this must win clash.

What was impressive, and a big thing if they can make it into knockout stage was their goal line defence. Sure, they eventually let in a try when down to 12 players against Cook Islands, but they had repelled plenty of attack before that point, and again in the second half when facing more Cook Islands attack.

One could accuse us of an anti-Wales agenda, but it is simply the pro-Kumuls blindness that is affecting badly during World Cup time. But Wales have been quite solid this campaign. Narrowly beaten by the Cook Islands after leading at half time, they were also not disgraced against the Group favourites Tonga. Their size might cause a few problems for the Kumuls, so the defence will have to be up to it and the attack sharp.

The big time is calling the PNG Kumuls, and they need to beat Wales well to showcase the rugby league nation.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

We’ve offered up Edwin Ipape and Kyle Laybutt in the previous two games, and both took out our Player of the Match. Coincidence? Not really, these two have been excellent for the Kumuls so far.

So we think a big time game will need a big time performance from a big name star, and that player is Justin Olam. Olam has been a touch quieter than you’d expect, but you could see his influence growing through the Cook Islands game, scoring the final try of the game, and looking sharp. Hopefully the knock he sustained scoring that try doesn’t affect him.

We were quite impressed by Kyle Evans is Wales’ last game v Tonga, and the recent league convert is built to give the Kumuls a really hard time. Certainly one to watch from the wing.

PREDICTION

PNG 36 Wales 10

PNG v Wales Pre Match Stats

AVERAGE STATS @ RLWC2021 SO FAR

H2H AND PREVIOUS WORLD CUP STATS (Pre RLWC2021)