Kiwis winger to miss World Cup semi-final

Kiwis winger Ronaldo Mulitalo will miss the Rugby League World Cup semi-final against Tonga after accepting a one-match ban for a careless high tackle.

The illegal tackle was on Ronald Philitoga during New Zealand’s 78-0 win over Fiji Bati on the Gold Coast last week.

Mulitalo was sent off in the 52nd minute of the Round 3 match after making high contact with Philitoga, who left the field and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

The incident sparked a melee between Fiji and New Zealand players. Fiji halfback Brandon Wakeham was also sent off after punching Mulitalo in the head.

Speaking after the match, Kiwis captain James Fisher-Harris says he was not on the field when the incident occurred.

“I've seen that. It was an interesting one. I haven't seen anyone do those shots in a long time. It's out of our hands," he told 7Sport.

Ronaldo Mulitalo approaches Ronald Philitoga after the incident as the pair make peace on the field. Photo/Photosport/Jason O’Brien

Kiwis coach Stacey Jones describes the game as physical, praising his side’s defence.

“I thought our line was held tight. Right from the start we carried the ball strong but also the line speed of these guys was outstanding. They put pressure back on Fiji and forced them into errors.”

The National Rugby League (NRL) judiciary has confirmed Mulitalo’s suspension after he made an early guilty plea. The Grade 2 charge carries a one-game ban with the early guilty admission but a two-game ban if Mulitalo had fought it and lost.

The winger will be eligible for the World Cup final should the Kiwis get past Tonga in Newcastle.

The NRL has also confirmed Wakeham has been charged with a Grade 2 striking offence for the punch following Mulitalo’s high tackle on Philitoga.

“Wakeham took the early guilty plea and received a one-game ban while Sāmoa captain Junior Paulo (shoulder charge) and PNG's Nixon Putt (careless high tackle) both received a Warning.”

The rulings have also sparked debate online, with some supporters questioning why both players received one-match bans despite the different incidents.

Mulitalo was criticised for the high tackle on Philitoga while Wakeham faced criticism for the retaliatory punch. Some social media users argued Wakeham’s one-game penalty was too lenient given the nature of the striking offence.

Despite Mulitalo’s absence, Stacey Jones remains confident ahead of this weekend’s semi-final against Tonga.

Toa Sāmoa captain Junior Paulo has accepted a one-match ban for a shoulder charge following the World Cup ruling. Photo/NRL/Photosport

He says the team will review the Fiji match because its semi-final footy and changes should be made.

“The good thing about this group, in particular the players, they're always chasing improvement. We won't rest on any laurels or anything like that. We'll go back and look at where we can get better.”

Meanwhile, the NZ Kiwis confirmed that Phoenix Crossland will replace Jacob Laban who has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with a lower leg injury.

The Kiwis will take on Tonga on Sunday 8 November at McDonald Jones Stadium. Kick-off is at 10pm NZT.

Elton Lonaratha Jnr, a journalism student at Wintec, is currently completing a six-week internship at PMN News.