2017 Rugby League World Cup Group B

Main article: 2017 Rugby League World Cup

Group B of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup is one of the four groups in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, which began on 28 October and was completed on 11 November 2017. The group comprised New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland and Tonga. Tonga finished top of the pool while New Zealand and Samoa also qualified for the quarter-finals.

Overall

Key to colours in pool tables
	Advances to knockout stage and qualifies for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Tonga	3	3	0	0	110	44	+66	6	Advance to knockout stage
2	New Zealand (H)	3	2	0	1	134	42	+92	4
3	Samoa	3	0	1	2	40	84	−44	1
4	Scotland	3	0	1	2	24	138	−114	1

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
(H) Hosts

New Zealand vs Samoa

28 October 2017 20:10 NZDT (UTC+13)

New Zealand	38–8	Samoa
Tries: Jordan Rapana (4') 1 Shaun Johnson (20') 1 Brad Takairangi (46') 1 Kodi Nikorima (52') 1 Issac Liu (55') 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (68') 1 Nelson Asofa-Solomona (72') 1 Goals: Shaun Johnson 5/7 (21', 53', 56', 69', 73')	Report[1]	Tries: 1 (37') Ken Maumalo 1 (80') Joseph Paulo Goals: 0/1 Peter Matautia 0/1 Tim Lafai

Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 17,857 Referee: James Child (England) Player of the Match: Joseph Tapine (New Zealand)

Team lists:

FB 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck WG 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak CE 3 Gerard Beale CE 4 Brad Takairangi WG 5 Jordan Rapana FE 6 Kodi Nikorima HB 7 Shaun Johnson PR 8 Martin Taupau HK 9 Thomas Leuluai PR 18 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves SR 13 Simon Mannering SR 12 Joseph Tapine LK 10 Adam Blair (c) Substitutes: IC 14 Nelson Asofa-Solomona IC 15 Russell Packer IC 16 Isaac Liu IC 17 Danny Levi Coach: David Kidwell

FB 1 Young Tonumaipea WG 2 Peter Mata’utia CE 3 Tim Lafai CE 4 Joseph Leilua WG 5 Ken Maumalo FE 6 Joseph Paulo HB 7 Ben Roberts PR 8 Junior Paulo HK 9 Jazz Tevaga PR 10 Sam Lisone SR 11 Josh Papalii SR 12 Frank Pritchard (c) LK 13 Leeson Ah Mau Substitutes: IC 14 Pita Godinet IC 15 Herman Ese’ese IC 16 Suaia Matagi IC 17 Bunty Afoa Coach: Matt Parish

Scotland vs Tonga

29 October 2017 16:15 AEDT (UTC+10)

Scotland	4–50	Tonga
Tries: Danny Addy (62') 1 Goals: Danny Brough 0/1	Report[2]	Tries: 3 (3', 20', 40') Michael Jennings 2 (26', 73') Daniel Tupou 1 (17') Jason Taumalolo 1 (23') Sika Manu 1 (38') Peni Terepo 1 (76') Ata Hingano Goals: 6/7 Sio Siua Taukeiaho (4', 19', 21', 24', 75', 78') 1/2 Ata Hingano (40')

Barlow Park, Cairns Attendance: 9,216 Referee: Phil Bentham (England) Player of the Match: Jason Taumalolo (Tonga)

Notes:

• Due to high humidity conditions, the game was played with quarter-time drinks breaks after the heat rule was invoked.^[3]

Team lists:

FB 1 Lewis Tierney WG 2 Matty Russell CE 3 Ben Hellewell CE 4 Lachlan Stein WG 5 Will Oakes FE 6 Danny Brough (c) HB 7 Danny Addy PR 8 Luke Douglas HK 9 Kane Bentley PR 10 Ben Kavanagh SR 11 Frankie Mariano SR 12 Dale Ferguson LK 13 James Bell Substitutes: IC 14 Callum Phillips IC 15 Andrew Bentley IC 16 Sam Brooks IC 17 Jonathan Walker Coach: Steve McCormack

FB 1 William Hopoate WG 2 Daniel Tupou CE 3 Michael Jennings CE 4 Konrad Hurrell WG 5 Manu Vatuvei FE 6 Tuimoala Lolohea HB 7 Mafoa'aeata Hingano PR 8 Andrew Fifita HK 9 Siliva Havili PR 10 Sio Siua Taukeiaho SR 11 Manu Ma'u SR 12 Sika Manu (c) LK 13 Jason Taumalolo Substitutes: IC 14 Sione Katoa IC 15 Sam Moa IC 16 Peni Terepo IC 17 Ben Murdoch-Masila Coach: Kristian Woolf

New Zealand vs Scotland

4 November 2017 17:00 NZDT (UTC+13)

New Zealand	74–6	Scotland
Tries: Te Maire Martin (32', 52', 76') 3 Pita Hiku (39', 58', 69') 3 Jason Nightingale (13', 23') 2 Kenny Bromwich (9') 1 Joseph Tapine (16') 1 Russell Packer (43') 1 Dean Whare (55') 1 Shaun Johnson (61') 1 Elijah Taylor (79') 1 Goals: Shaun Johnson 9/14 (11', 33', 44', 53', 56', 60', 63', 70', 80')	Report[4]	Tries: 1 (72') Oscar Thomas Goals: 1/1 Danny Addy (73')

Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch Attendance: 12,130 Referee: Henry Perenara (New Zealand) Player of the Match: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand)

Team lists:

FB 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck WG 2 Jason Nightingale CE 3 Dean Whare CE 4 Brad Takairangi WG 5 Peta Hiku FE 6 Te Maire Martin HB 7 Shaun Johnson PR 8 Martin Taupau HK 9 Elijah Taylor PR 18 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves SR 13 Kenny Bromwich SR 12 Joseph Tapine LK 10 Adam Blair (c) Substitutes: IC 14 Nelson Asofa-Solomona IC 15 Russell Packer IC 16 Addin Fonua-Blake IC 17 Danny Levi Coach: David Kidwell

FB 1 Alex Walker WG 2 Lewis Tierney CE 3 Ben Hellewell CE 4 Lachlan Stein WG 5 Matty Russell FE 6 Danny Brough (c) HB 7 Oscar Thomas PR 8 Luke Douglas HK 9 Danny Addy PR 10 Ben Kavanagh SR 11 Jarred Anderson SR 12 Dale Ferguson LK 13 James Bell Substitutes: IC 14 Kane Bentley IC 15 Sam Brooks IC 16 Brandan Wilkinson IC 17 Jonathan Walker Coach: Steve McCormack

Samoa vs Tonga

In the week leading up to the match there were several "vicious street brawls" between Samoan and Tongan supporters.^[5][6] This led to members of both the Tongan and Samoan teams calling for calm.^[7][8] 29 people were arrested for fighting after the game.^[9]

4 November 2017 19:30 NZDT (UTC+13)

Samoa	18–32	Tonga
Tries: Jazz Tevaga (17') 1 Ben Roberts (65') 1 Tim Lafai (73') 1 Goals: Tim Lafai 3/3 (18', 66', 74')	Report[10]	Tries: 2 (10', 29') Michael Jennings 1 (52') Peni Terepo 1 (60') Ben Murdoch-Masila 1 (77') Manu Ma'u Goals: 4/4 Sio Siua Taukeiaho (11', 28' pen, 30', 79') 2/2 Ata Hingano (53', 61')

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Attendance: 18,156 Referee: Ben Cummins (Australia) Player of the Match: Andrew Fifita (Tonga)

Team lists:

FB 1 Young Tonumaipea WG 2 Ricky Leutele CE 3 Tim Lafai CE 4 Joseph Leilua WG 5 Ken Maumalo FE 20 Jarome Luai HB 7 Ben Roberts PR 8 Junior Paulo HK 9 Jazz Tevaga PR 10 Herman Ese'ese SR 11 Josh Papalii SR 12 Frank Pritchard (c) LK 13 Leeson Ah Mau Substitutes: IC 14 Fa'amanu Brown IC 15 Zane Musgrove IC 16 Sam Lisone IC 17 Bunty Afoa Coach: Matt Parish

FB 1 William Hopoate WG 2 Daniel Tupou CE 3 Michael Jennings CE 4 Solomone Kata WG 5 David Fusitu'a FE 6 Tuimoala Lolohea HB 7 Mafoa'aeata Hingano PR 8 Andrew Fifita HK 14 Sione Katoa PR 10 Sio Siua Taukeiaho SR 11 Manu Ma'u SR 12 Sika Manu (c) LK 13 Jason Taumalolo Substitutes: IC 9 Siliva Havili IC 15 Sam Moa IC 16 Peni Terepo IC 17 Ben Murdoch-Masila Coach: Kristian Woolf

New Zealand vs Tonga

After the match, Tonga's victory was described as "the small island nation's greatest ever sporting achievement". During celebrations following the match, 53 Tongan supporters were arrested in Auckland.^[11][12]

11 November 2017 17:00 NZDT (UTC+13)

New Zealand	22–28	Tonga
Tries: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (39', 72') 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (21') 1 Jordan Rapana (28') 1 Goals: Shaun Johnson 3/4 (30', 40', 73')	Report[13]	Tries: 3 (48', 59', 77') David Fusitu'a 1 (62') Tuimoala Lolohea 1 (65') William Hopoate Goals: 3/4 Sio Siua Taukeiaho (7' pen, 63', 66') 1/2 Tuimoala Lolohea (60')

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton Attendance: 24,041 Referee: Gerard Sutton (Australia) Player of the Match: Tuimoala Lolohea (Tonga)

Team lists:

FB 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck WG 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak CE 3 Dean Whare CE 4 Brad Takairangi WG 5 Jordan Rapana FE 6 Kodi Nikorima HB 7 Shaun Johnson PR 8 Martin Taupau HK 9 Thomas Leuluai PR 10 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves SR 11 Simon Mannering SR 12 Joseph Tapine LK 13 Adam Blair (c) Substitutes: IC 14 Nelson Asofa-Solomona IC 15 Russell Packer IC 16 Isaac Liu IC 17 Danny Levi Coach: David Kidwell

FB 1 William Hopoate WG 2 Daniel Tupou CE 18 Mahe Fonua CE 4 Konrad Hurrell WG 5 David Fusitu'a FE 6 Tuimoala Lolohea HB 7 Mafoa'aeata Hingano PR 8 Andrew Fifita HK 9 Sione Katoa PR 10 Sio Siua Taukeiaho SR 11 Manu Ma'u SR 12 Sika Manu (c) LK 13 Jason Taumalolo Substitutes: IC 14 Siliva Havili IC 16 Peni Terepo IC 17 Ben Murdoch-Masila IC 21 Tevita Pangai Junior Coach: Kristian Woolf

Notes:

• This was New Zealand's first loss on home soil since 2012, when they lose to Australia in Auckland at Eden Park.
• This was the first time a tier two nation had defeated Australia, England or New Zealand in a World Cup match.^[14]

Samoa vs Scotland

11 November 2017 17:00 AEDT (UTC+10)

Samoa	14–14	Scotland
Tries: Junior Paulo (12') 1 Matthew Wright (49') 1 Young Tonumaipea (66') 1 Goals: Matthew Wright 1/3 (13')	Report[15]	Tries: 1 (5') Lewis Tierney 1 (28') Frankie Mariano Goals: 3/4 Danny Addy (6', 18' pen, 30')

Barlow Park, Cairns Attendance: 4,309 Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia) Player of the Match: Danny Addy (Scotland)

Team lists:

FB 1 Young Tonumaipea WG 2 Ricky Leutele CE 3 Tim Lafai CE 4 Joseph Leilua WG 5 Matthew Wright FE 6 Jarome Luai HB 7 Fa'amanu Brown PR 8 Junior Paulo HK 9 Jazz Tevaga PR 10 Herman Ese’ese SR 11 Josh Papalii SR 12 Frank Winterstein LK 13 Bunty Afoa Substitutes: IC 14 Pita Godinet IC 15 Joseph Paulo IC 16 Leeson Ah Mau IC 17 Sam Tagataese Coach: Matt Parish

FB 1 Lewis Tierney WG 2 Shane Toal CE 3 Ben Hellewell CE 4 Lachlan Stein WG 5 Matty Russell FE 6 Danny Addy HB 7 Oscar Thomas PR 8 Luke Douglas (c) HK 9 Callum Phillips PR 10 Ben Kavanagh SR 11 Frankie Mariano SR 12 Dale Ferguson LK 13 James Bell Substitutes: IC 14 Kane Bentley IC 15 Brandan Wilkinson IC 16 Andrew Bentley IC 17 Jarred Anderson Coach: Steve McCormack