Walsh vomits as Australia edge New Zealand; Ponga faces arm scans

Australia beat New Zealand 24-22 in the Rugby League World Cup opener in Sydney on Thursday, 15 October, after late tries overturned a six-point deficit. Reece Walsh vomited during the match after an intense performance, while New Zealand’s Kalyn Ponga played on with an arm injury that his coach said could be a fracture. Medical checks were still to come, leaving Ponga’s tournament prospects uncertain.

How Australia turned the opener around

New Zealand led 22-16 before Walsh and Jack Bostock scored late tries for Australia. Bostock’s score in the 75th minute completed his hat-trick, according to the New Zealand Herald. The comeback gave Australia a two-point win after a match in which Ponga had scored twice for the Kiwis.

Walsh also made a try-saving tackle on Ponga and scored following a 60-metre break, the BBC reported. He was playing his first match after an eight-week absence caused by an ankle injury. His exertion became visible during the game: ABC independently reported that he vomited, and Australia coach Kevin Walters said Walsh was cramping and lacked the energy to kick a goal.

What is known about Kalyn Ponga’s arm injury

Ponga continued playing for about 20 minutes after hurting his arm. New Zealand coach Stacey Jones said after the match that Ponga would undergo medical checks and described a possible fracture. He had not made a final assessment of the injury. The New Zealand Herald said Ponga was likely to miss the rest of the tournament, while the BBC said his participation was in serious doubt; neither report established a confirmed diagnosis or final availability decision.

The match took a physical toll elsewhere in Australia’s side, too. Mitchell Moses went off shortly after halftime with a calf issue, according to the BBC. Captain Isaah Yeo had delayed surgery on a pectoral injury to play in the tournament. The BBC reported that more than 40,000 people attended the Sydney opener, the city’s biggest Test-match crowd in 50 years.