Tonga edge Samoa in World Cup thriller as England suffer historic exit

Tonga secured their place in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals after defeating Samoa 20-18 in a thrilling encounter at CommBank Stadium in Sydney. Addin Fonua-Blake scored the decisive try late in the match, settling one of the most entertaining contests of the tournament so far.

The two sides produced an intense battle, with Tonga leading 8-4 at half-time. The match became increasingly dramatic after the break, as both teams exchanged tries before Samoa moved ahead 18-14 with ten minutes remaining.

Tonga refused to give up, and Fonua-Blake powered over the line in the 72nd minute to bring his team back into the contest. Isaiya Katoa then converted the try to give Tonga a two-point advantage, which they managed to protect until the final whistle.

The result means Tonga will face New Zealand in the first semi-final, while Samoa are set for a meeting with defending champions Australia. The latter fixture will be a rematch of the 2022 World Cup final, which Australia won 30-10.

England, meanwhile, have suffered a disappointing exit. Despite beating Papua New Guinea 34-12 in their final group match, the result was not enough to secure a place in the last four. It is the first time England have failed to reach the semi-finals of the Rugby League World Cup.

Australia and New Zealand also finished the group stage with emphatic victories. The Kangaroos defeated the Cook Islands 66-6, while New Zealand recorded a 78-0 win over Fiji.