Kiwis v Kangaroos: Kalyn Ponga labelled ‘tough bugger’ after playing broken arm in defeat, set for surgery

Kiwis fullback Kalyn Ponga will undergo surgery on his broken left arm after being praised for his toughness and commitment to the black jersey, having played through the pain during their 24-22 Rugby League World Cup defeat to the Kangaroos in Sydney.

On his test debut for New Zealand, Ponga suffered the injury early in the second half of the tournament opener when Cameron Munster’s head struck his left arm as he fell in a tackle.

The 28-year-old was in visible pain but battled through for about 20 minutes – scoring a stunning solo try in the process – before being forced from the field as the discomfort increased and he struggled to catch the ball.

He returned to the sidelines with his arm in a sling as the Kangaroos scored a late try through Jack Bostock to snatch a come-from-behind win.