Following the excitement of winning last year’s Pacific Cup with a historic victory over Australia, the Kiwis are suddenly fighting for survival against the fearsome Kumuls team.Losses to the Kangaroos and Tonga have pushed Stacey Jones’ team into the relegation zone, and they will need to be totally focused and determined to hold the Kumuls at bay on Sunday at CommBank Stadium.
In the absence of Storm champion Jahrome Hughes, the Kiwis have turned to favourite son Shaun Johnson, who has come out of retirement in his country’s hour of need and hopes to leave the game with one final magical performance on Sunday.
Johnson has not overplayed his hand against Australia and Tonga, but the unpredictable No.7 must take greater responsibility for the game plan if the reigning champions are to avoid relegation to the Bowl in 2025.
The promise of a spot in next year’s Cup event is a tremendous incentive for the Kumuls, who have Nene Macdonald, Lachlan Lam, Robert Mathias, and Sylvester Namo in excellent shape and eager to challenge their highly regarded opponents.
The Kiwis have won 17-1 in the previous 18 meetings between the two countries, with the Kumuls’ sole success coming in Port Moresby in 1986, when a try double from Darius Haili spurred a 24-22 triumph over a Kiwi side that contained Hugh McGahan, Gary Freeman, and Joe Ropati.
Match: Kiwis against PNG Kumuls
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