Kalyn Ponga Is Back at Kiwis Training, Two Weeks After Breaking His Arm, and Could Play in the Semi-Final
Kalyn Ponga ran with the New Zealand squad at training on the Gold Coast on Wednesday, two weeks after he broke his arm in the World Cup opener. He did no contact work, RNZ reported, but coach Stacey Jones has not ruled him out of the rest of the tournament.
He will not play against Fiji on Saturday. If New Zealand win that game, 1News reported, he is expected to be available for the semi-final.
“I’m coming back”
Ponga had surgery after the injury and rejoined the squad after treatment in Newcastle. Jones said the player had made the call himself.
“When he did the injury we thought his tournament was over and he [said] ‘I’m coming back, I want to be involved’,” Jones said. “When a player has got the mindset and that calibre of player, you give him every chance.”
“He’s day-to-day, we didn’t rule him out straight away,” he told reporters on the Gold Coast. “It’s just good to see him out on the training field.” And on the timing: “At this stage it’s a week-to-week proposition, we will have more of an idea after this weekend.”
What happened in the opener
Ponga hurt his left forearm in the 51st minute against Australia on 15 October, his first Test for New Zealand. He stayed on, scored his second try nine minutes later by stepping Reece Walsh, and came off in the 70th minute. New Zealand lost 24-22. He was playing for the Kiwis under the eligibility rules that let him switch from Australia this year.
First, Fiji
Keano Kini stays at fullback for Saturday’s game, as he did in the 82-16 win over the Cook Islands. Moses Leota, Naufahu Whyte and Dane Gagai come back into the side after being rested, according to Fox Sports’ team list.
The equation is simple. Beat Fiji at Cbus Super Stadium and New Zealand are in the semi-finals. Lose and they are out. Fiji threatened an upset against Australia early in the second half last Sunday before losing 36-22, and they beat New Zealand in the 2017 quarter-final, a result rlwc2026.com says the Bati will draw on.
Kick-off is 3.30pm AEDT on Saturday 31 October (2.30pm on the Gold Coast, 4.30am in the UK).
A semi-final at his home ground
If New Zealand get through, their semi-final is at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle next weekend, against whichever team tops the Pools B and C table (Samoa or Tonga), according to rlwc2026.com, provided Australia finish first in Pool A. That is Ponga’s home ground. He played there all season for the Knights, who lost the grand final 19-18 to the Roosters on 4 October.
The final is at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday 15 November. Every result goes into the World Cup table the morning after.
