Kalyn Ponga to have arm surgery as Kiwis keep World Cup return open

Kalyn Ponga will undergo surgery for a broken left arm after New Zealand’s 24-22 Rugby League World Cup opening loss to Australia at Western Sydney Stadium on Thursday, 15 October. The Kiwis will keep the fullback in camp while they assess whether he can play again in the tournament, ABC reported.

Team doctor Greg Macleod said in a statement reported by ABC: “We wish Kalyn all the best with his surgery today. We’ll see how that goes but for now he will remain in camp.” The operation’s outcome will determine whether the team’s hope of a return is realistic; no return date has been announced.

How Ponga’s injury changed New Zealand’s opener

The BBC reported that Ponga played for about 20 minutes with a suspected broken arm before leaving in the 70th minute. New Zealand coach Stacey Jones said after the match that scans would establish the extent of the injury. ABC subsequently reported that Ponga had broken the radius in his left arm and was booked for surgery.

Jones said Ponga had played through pain and could not catch a ball, according to ABC. He was replaced by Keano Kini and left the field with his arm in a sling. Australia won despite Ponga’s two tries, leaving New Zealand to plan its remaining pool matches without knowing when its starting fullback might be available.

Who could replace Ponga against the Cook Islands

New Zealand face the Cook Islands in Christchurch next week before completing their group fixtures against Fiji. Jones said Kini would likely replace Ponga for the Cook Islands match, ABC reported. That would give the Kiwis a replacement at fullback while Ponga stays with the squad and the medical team assesses his recovery.

ABC reported that New Zealand could seek clearance to add another player to its squad if it decides Ponga’s tournament is over. For now, the team’s decision to keep him in camp preserves the possibility of a later return, while the immediate selection question concerns the next pool match.