Tonga will be without one of their strike attacking weapons when they face New Zealand on Saturday night.
Premiership-winning centre Robert Toia has been ruled out with a minor leg injury in a devastating blow which saw him claim Player of the Match honours in the historic Samoa clash last weekend.
Paul Alamoti will replace Toia in the do-or-die clash, who is still a classy centre with a lethal fend and strong in contact.
Despite this, Toia's absence is a massive blow to Tonga's World Cup title chances, and casts plenty of uncertainty around his availability next week if they are to progress to the final.
Although it's minor, reports suggest it is a knee injury, which raises plenty of concern given Toia's extensive history with knee issues.
It includes two knee reconstructions early in his career, but since cracking NRL level, he has remained injury-free on that front.
Regardless of his injury past, Toia has emerged as one of the best centres in the NRL competition, with former QLD Maroons coach Billy Slater opting to have him start in the 2025 State of Origin series just after a handful of first-grade games.
Meanwhile, Kalyn Ponga is eyeing an early return from a fractured forearm sustained barely three weeks ago, taking the final spot on the six-man bench.
Whether Stacey Jones will pull the trigger on him is unknown, but it's expected he'll only be used if it is absolutely necessary, given how short of a return it's been.
Ponga lit up the World Cup in the first round of the tournament against Australia, landing blow-for-blow with Kangaroos fullback Reece Walsh in one of the most entertaining battles in 2026.
With Toia's injury and Ponga's looming inclusion in the contest, the Kiwis are shaping up as an enormous threat to their Pacific neighbour.
The two nations last faced each other in a World Cup in 2017, where Tonga defeated the Kiwis 28-22 in a huge upset, which marked a change of guard in the international space given the firepower who defected from New Zealand to Tonga that year.
It was headlined by Jason Taumalolo, who at the peak of his career, backed himself to play for his Tongan heritage and altered the international rugby league scene forever.
They will go to battle at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle to be the first team to progress to the final next week.
