Kiwis pull away after halftime
New Zealand defeated Tonga 34-10 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday, November 7, to reach the men’s Rugby League World Cup final. The official NRL report and its embedded match card list the result as full time.
The Kiwis led 12-10 at the break and scored 22 unanswered points in the second half. It is their first men’s World Cup final appearance since 2013.
Tonga’s lead is overturned
Jojo Fifita scored twice to put Tonga 10-6 ahead after 32 minutes. Dane Gagai’s late first-half try, following a Jahrome Hughes grubber kick, helped New Zealand take the lead into halftime.
Casey McLean extended the advantage in the 48th minute, and Hughes crossed five minutes later as the score moved to 24-10. Xavier Willison and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad added late tries to complete the win.
A confirmed place in the final
The result ends Tonga’s tournament and sends New Zealand into the final. The NRL report describes difficult, windy conditions and a decisive second-half performance from the Kiwis.
Fans checking the outcome can use the linked NRL report for the finished score and key plays from the completed men’s semi-final.
