Ruthless Kiwis bury Fiji to reach Rugby League World Cup semis
The New Zealand Kiwis rugby league team secured a spot in the World Cup semifinals after a dominant 78-0 victory over Fiji. The match was marked by a high-scoring performance from the Kiwis and a tense second half that saw both teams reduced to 12 players due to red cards.
Why it matters
This result marks a significant progression in the Rugby League World Cup, highlighting New Zealand's status as a top contender in the tournament.
NZ Kiwis have delivered a statement performance at the Rugby League World Cup, crushing Fiji 78-0 on the Gold Coast to power into the semifinals.
Boom centre Casey McLean crossed for four of their 13 tries, while winger Jamayne Isaako landed every conversion attempt, as New Zealand eclipsed the Bati in every department.
The only blot was a red card to wing Ronaldo Mulitalo for a high tackle, which left both teams to play the rest of the game with 12 players, after Fiji halfback Brandon Wakeham was also sent off for retaliation.
Fiji were expected to provide a stern test, after pushing Australia in a 36-22 defeat in Brisbane last weekend, setting up a virtual quarterfinal against New Zealand, with the losers eliminated.
However, there would be no repeat of the infamous 2017 quarterfinal, when Fiji stunned the hosts 4-2 in Wellington in one of the great tournament upsets.
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