The PNG LNG Kumuls showed spirit after a difficult first half, but England’s early dominance proved too much to overcome, handing Papua New Guinea a 34–12 defeat at WIN Stadium, on Friday night.

England raced to a 24–0 halftime lead, capitalising on their opportunities and putting the Kumuls under sustained pressure. For PNG, the challenge after the break was not only to defend better, but to find the composure and attacking rhythm that had been missing in the opening 40 minutes.

The Kumuls responded with greater urgency in the second half. Dudley Dotoi and Gairo Voro crossed for tries, giving Papua New Guinea supporters something to cheer and showing the side had not given up.

But England answered through six try-scorers, Matty Ashton, AJ Brimson, Dominic Young, Harry Smith, Morgan Knowles and Mikey Lewis to secure the win.

As the Kumuls campaign comes to an end, the evening also marked a significant moment for Papua New Guinea national team captain Rhyse Martin’s final representative appearance.

For Kumuls supporters, the result was painful. Yet Martin’s farewell gave the match a deeper significance. The veteran forward is retiring from football and is set to take up a football operations role with the incoming PNG Chiefs.

Martin leaves the representative game as one of the Kumuls’ most accomplished players. He is reported to be PNG’s most-capped Kumul and all-time leading points scorer, an extraordinary record for a forward. His career abroad also included winning the Challenge Cup with Leeds and the Super League treble with Hull KR.

The Kumuls late improvement in the second half will offer some encouragement, but the slow start is the major concern. Against a side of England’s quality, conceding heavily before finding their feet left the Kumuls with too steep a climb.

England’s victory may still not be enough to secure a comfortable path to the semi-finals, with their prospects depending on the Tonga–Samoa result.

For the Kumuls, the final score tells a disappointing story, but their second-half response at least showed the fight expected of the PNG Kumuls.