Australia face Samoa in World Cup semi as internal doubts gather at Kangaroos' camp
Australia are preparing to face Samoa in a Rugby League World Cup semi-final at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Sunday, but concerns persist within the Kangaroos camp despite three wins from three in the tournament. The hosts remain favourites as they pursue the trophy for the fourth consecutive time, yet errors and disconnection from their opening matches have left questions to be answered.
The World Cup has reached the knockout stage with three sides remaining to challenge Australia, and the Kangaroos have progressed through the pool phase with victories over Fiji and the Cook Islands following a narrow escape in round one. Inside the Australia camp there is pressure on coach Kevin Walters and unease about a forward pack that, the article states, has been humbled so far in the tournament; off-field contract negotiations for several players have added another distraction. Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand form the other semi-finalists vying for a route to the final, and the coming fixtures will pit the Kangaroos against one of those in a high-stakes weekend.
Tonga’s win over Samoa in Parramatta on Sunday was described as the tournament’s finest spectacle, eclipsing the France–Lebanon match that preceded it, with a capacity crowd and thousands of flags creating a carnival atmosphere. That encounter featured a disallowed Samoan try in the dying stages, underlining how closely matched the sides were and suggesting either could pose a stern test to Australia. The Tonga–Samoa match also illustrated the depth of motivation within those squads, as both committed fully despite semi-final places already secured.
Player comparisons in the report note that Toa Samoa possess individuals who would be comfortable in Australian colours: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was highlighted as someone who might not have displaced Reece Walsh or James Tedesco at fullback but “would have almost certainly added to his six caps for the Kangaroos had he chosen to continue with Australia.” Brian To’o and Stephen Crichton were referenced for their recent high standards at wing and centre respectively, even if both were described as slightly off their peak in 2026.
On Tonga’s side the article singles out Isaiya Katoa as the tournament’s outstanding half since Nathan Cleary’s injury and names Rob Toia as the Dally M centre of the year, while noting bench options that could inject State of Origin-level impact: Stefano Utoikamanu for Tonga and Spencer Leniu for Samoa. Those personnel strengths were presented as providing both teams with the power and punch to trouble opposition defensive lines and to deploy proven finishers from the bench.
New Zealand were reported to have responded to an opening defeat by scoring 160 points in matches against the Cook Islands and Fiji, and the piece noted the Kiwis are missing the injured Kalyn Ponga. The report also highlighted Jahrome Hughes as the class in the halves and Casey McLean as a strike centre, adding that McLean scored four tries against Fiji on Saturday. New Zealand were framed as possessing the tournament’s most imposing forward line-up ahead of their next clash.
The Kangaroos’ early tournament form was scrutinised: the article described their first-round escape as “lucky,” attributing it to a pair of intercepts and two Jack Bostock jackpots, and outlined how Australia trailed in both the Fiji and Cook Islands matches before prevailing. Against Fiji they were portrayed as looking two tries down with half an hour to play until a video referee intervention initiated a turnaround; an early second-half blitz settled the Cook Islands game. Statistical concerns were mentioned, with New Zealand averaging five more metres per set than Australia and the Kangaroos struggling to get a roll on against the Bati.
Kevin Walters was profiled as an inoffensive, likeable presence in the dressing room, not known as a tactician or taskmaster and valued for his ability to leave a talented roster to perform. Selection notes in the article suggested James Tedesco appears unlikely to displace Reece Walsh at fullback given Walsh’s electrifying performance against the Cook Islands and “his success under Walters in England last year,” while Sam Walker was described as slipping below Tom Dearden after missing the Cook Islands match and as having been “cut adrift by the Roosters amid a contract stand-off.” The piece listed several Kangaroos entering negotiations during the tournament: Latrell Mitchell, Cam Munster, Harry Grant, Liam Martin, Bradman Best and Jack Bostock.
Australia’s immediate task is clear: they will meet Samoa in the semi-final at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Sunday. Tonga’s reward after their Parramatta win is a clash against New Zealand in the other semi-final, setting up the remaining path to the World Cup final for all four sides.