Sports · Other Sports · 4 hrs ago
Ponga and Walsh set for another clash in Rugby League World Cup final
New Zealand’s Kalyn Ponga and Australia’s Reece Walsh will face off again in the Rugby League World Cup final at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Their first meeting in the tournament featured a try from each fullback and a covering tackle by Walsh that stopped Ponga scoring.
Ponga missed games with a broken arm and returned for Tonga’s semi-final win after surgery involving 11 screws and a plate.
He was named player of the match in that game, with three try assists, three linebreak assists and 198 running metres.
Walsh scored a hat-trick against Samoa in Australia’s semi-final win, while his support play helped Cameron Munster set up three tries.
Both players are being discussed as Golden Boot contenders, though Australia hooker Harry Grant said the final would not be decided by their matchup alone.
Ponga said he respects Walsh and hopes the final will deliver an even better contest than their first meeting.
Kalyn Ponga and Reece Walsh are set to face each other in the Rugby League World Cup final at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
The New Zealand and Australian fullbacks drew attention for their duel when their teams met earlier in the tournament.
Ponga returned in Tonga’s semi-final after missing games with a broken arm.
Walsh scored a hat-trick against Samoa in Australia’s semi-final.
Ponga said he respects Walsh and hopes they can make the final entertaining.
- Who
- New Zealand fullback Kalyn Ponga and Australian fullback Reece Walsh.
- What
- They are set to meet in the Rugby League World Cup final.
- When
- Sunday. The article was published on November 10, 2026.
- Where
- Suncorp Stadium.
- Why
- They are competing for the Rugby League World Cup title.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ponga and Walsh faced off as New Zealand and Australia met, with both scoring individual tries.
Ponga was sidelined with a broken arm and had 11 screws and a plate put into the bone.
Ponga returned in Tonga’s semi-final triumph and earned man-of-the-match honours.
Walsh scored a hat-trick against Samoa in Australia’s semi-final.
Ponga and Walsh are set to meet in the final at Suncorp Stadium.
- Final venue
- Suncorp Stadium
- Ponga’s injury
- Broken arm; 11 screws and a plate
- Ponga’s semi-final performance
- Three try assists, three linebreak assists and 198 running metres
- Walsh’s semi-final performance
- Hat-trick against Samoa
- Earlier Australia–New Zealand result
- Australia won 26-24
2 sources
What people are saying
I respect Reece a lot. He’s a good friend, obviously a teammate in the past
it’s always love off the field but hopefully we can both make [Sunday] entertaining.
as much as Reece and Kalyn set the show alight in game one, that’s in the past