GOLD COAST, Australia — New Zealand booked a place in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals in emphatic fashion on Saturday, 31 October 2026, thrashing Fiji 78-0 at Cbus Super Stadium in a 13-try rout that was overshadowed late on by two send-offs and an ugly flashpoint in the second half.
The Kiwis, chasing a first World Cup title since 2008, led 48-0 at half-time and never eased off, running in five more tries after both sides had been reduced to 12 men. The victory sends an ominous warning to their semi-final rivals — and leaves winger Ronaldo Mulitalo facing a nervous wait for the judiciary after his dismissal.
Illustration: A rugby league team celebrating a try under stadium floodlights — an artist's impression, not a photograph of the actual match.
What Happened
The match was effectively decided long before the flashpoint. New Zealand scored at will in the first half as fullback Keano Kini, centre Casey McLean and Mulitalo broke tackles almost at will, while forward Naufahu Whyte continued to build his reputation as one of the game's elite big men, according to NRL.com's match report.
By the time the half-time siren sounded, the Kiwis had racked up a 48-0 lead. Captain James Fisher-Harris got in on the scoring with his first Test try since the 2023 Pacific Championships against Samoa, trailing through to pounce on the ball after Mulitalo tapped back a Jahrome Hughes bomb.
The contest then exploded in the 52nd minute. With New Zealand cruising at 48-0, Mulitalo shot in off his wing and made high contact with Fiji's Ronald Philitoga, who was ruled out for the rest of the game. Fiji halfback Brandon Wakeham came in to remonstrate with Mulitalo and threw a punch, and referee Grant Atkins sent both players from the field.
Fijian forward Jordan Miller was later sent to the sin bin for a headbutt, Fox Sports Australia reported, as tempers continued to fray in a match that had long since ceased to be a contest.
Down to 12 men each, New Zealand still ran in five more tries. McLean finished with four tries on the day, taking his remarkable record to 15 tries in seven Tests. Kini started and finished the 13-try romp, racking up 260 run metres and seven tackle breaks, while Hughes finished with three try assists.
Illustration: A rugby league winger breaking through defenders — an artist's impression, not a photograph of the actual match.
Background
The clash at Cbus Super Stadium was, on paper, a shootout for a semi-final berth. In the end, Fiji simply had no answers. The Bati were rattled early by the first-half losses of captain Api Koroisau to a jaw injury and Semi Valemei to a head knock, and they never recovered their shape or composure.
New Zealand arrived at the tournament with genuine title ambitions, and this performance underlined why. The Kiwis have combined a punishing forward pack with a backline full of strike power, and Hughes's direction at halfback has given them a cutting edge that few sides in the tournament can match.
The result also continues a striking run of form for the tournament's leading lights. Earlier on Saturday, the Kiwi Ferns tuned up for their own semi-final with a 40-12 win over Papua New Guinea's Orchids at the same venue, while Fiji's women's side, the Bulikula, stormed into the semi-finals at their first-ever World Cup with a 54-6 win over France, setting up a last-four meeting with world champions Australia in Sydney.
England, meanwhile, kept only a mathematical hope of reaching the men's semi-finals alive with a 34-12 win over Papua New Guinea in Wollongong — a victory that fell well short of the margin they needed. Their fate now depends on Tonga beating Samoa by more than 46 points, as well as the result of Australia's match against the Cook Islands later on Saturday.
Why It Matters
For New Zealand, the scoreline matters less than the statement. A 78-0 win in a knockout-shaping match tells every remaining contender that the Kiwis can score from anywhere, and that their depth allows them to keep the pressure on even after losing a player to dismissal.
For Fiji, the defeat is a harsh end to a campaign that promised much. The Bati's discipline unravelled as the scoreboard mounted, and the injuries to Koroisau and Valemei robbed them of leadership and organisation at exactly the moment they needed it most. Wakeham's send-off, and the prospect of further judiciary attention, will also overshadow what should have been a celebration of reaching the tournament's business end.
For the tournament itself, the flashpoint is a reminder of how quickly a one-sided match can turn ugly. Rugby league's authorities have spent years tightening rules around high contact and foul play, and the images from the Gold Coast — a winger dismissed for a high shot, a punch thrown in retaliation, a melee involving both teams — will reignite debate about discipline, player welfare and the judiciary's role in the knockout rounds.
Illustration: A large rugby stadium at night on Australia's Gold Coast — an artist's impression, not a photograph of the actual venue.
What Happens Next
The immediate focus is the judiciary. Mulitalo faces a nervous wait for Sunday's charges, with his semi-final availability in serious doubt, while Wakeham is also expected to face the match review committee. Their cases will be watched closely, not least because both sides could still feature in the tournament's closing stages.
New Zealand will also wait on the return of superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga. Ponga suffered a broken arm in the tournament opener against Australia on 15 October and was widely expected to be done for the campaign, but he has worked tirelessly on his rehabilitation and looms as a potential X-factor for the semi-finals, according to NRL.com.
The Kiwis will likely meet either Tonga or Samoa in the semi-finals, depending on the remaining pool results. Whoever awaits them will have seen, in brutal detail, what happens when New Zealand's attack clicks — and what happens when frustration boils over against them.
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FAQ
What was the score between New Zealand and Fiji?
New Zealand beat Fiji 78-0 at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on Saturday, 31 October 2026, scoring 13 tries and leading 48-0 at half-time.
Why were two players sent off?
New Zealand winger Ronaldo Mulitalo was sent off for a high shot on Fiji's Ronald Philitoga in the 52nd minute, and Fiji halfback Brandon Wakeham was dismissed after throwing a punch in the ensuing confrontation.
Who starred for New Zealand?
Centre Casey McLean scored four tries to take his tally to 15 tries in seven Tests, Keano Kini scored the first and last tries with 260 run metres, and Jahrome Hughes finished with three try assists.
Who will New Zealand play in the semi-finals?
New Zealand will likely meet either Tonga or Samoa in the semi-finals, depending on the remaining pool results, including Australia's match against the Cook Islands.
Could Kalyn Ponga return for the semi-finals?
Kalyn Ponga broke his arm in the tournament opener against Australia on 15 October, but NRL.com reported he has worked hard on his rehabilitation and could be an X-factor for the Kiwis in the knockout stage.
Sources
NRL.com, "Kiwis run riot as two sent off on Gold Coast," 31 October 2026; Fox Sports Australia, "Ugly high shot, punch as pair SENT OFF in mammoth Kiwis demolition," 31 October 2026; LeagueNews.co, "England errors threaten World Cup hopes," 31 October 2026.
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