In a high-octane, physically grueling Rugby League World Cup group stage showdown in Brisbane, defending top contender Australia scraped past a fiercely determined Fiji side with a 36-22 final scoreline, punching their ticket to the tournament’s final four. For Fiji, the fixture marked a stunning reversal of their recent history against the green and gold: their prior five consecutive losses to Australia had stacked up to a lopsided aggregate of 246 to 16, but the raucous home crowd in Brisbane watched in shock as Fiji dominated territory for large stretches of the first half, storming to a 16-12 lead shortly after the restart. The match’s entire trajectory shifted in a chaotic, game-defining 60-second window: Fiji’s Solomone Saukuru appeared to have extended his side’s lead to 20-12 with a blistering run, only for officials to disallow the try over an obstruction call. Seizing the momentum instantly, Australia charged up the opposite end of the pitch where Tom Trbojevic dotted down to level the scores. Trbojevic, who had shown noticeable defensive vulnerabilities earlier in the match, went on to cross the try line two more times to put his side in control, even as Fiji’s Semi Valemei completed a memorable hat-trick for his underdog team, and Jacob Preston added a late insurance try for Australia. Post-match, a candid Trbojevic acknowledged his side’s subpar performance to Premier Sports: “There are definitely some areas to improve on. We didn’t start as we wanted to and couldn’t get a flow. We just needed to play our style of footy. We weren’t at our best but we came away with two points. We need to improve. We’ve got to enjoy a win but we’ve got to be our harshest critics too.” Local Brisbane Broncos star Kotoni Staggs opened the scoring for Australia on his home turf, while debutant Sam Walker capped his first senior appearance with a try and a perfect 12 points from the boot. Still, head coach Kevin Walters faces clear concerns heading into the semi-finals: his side’s forward pack was consistently outmuscled by Fiji’s aggressive lineup, and their leaky defensive structure allowed Taane Milne and Valemei to run rampant, marking Australia’s second unconvincing win in as many outings after their narrow earlier victory over New Zealand. Elsewhere in the tournament, New Zealand’s men’s team bounced back dramatically from their narrow 24-22 opening group loss to Australia, notching a commanding 82-16 win over the Cook Islands in Christchurch – though the fixture was far from a straightforward rout. The Cook Islands fought back from an early 12-0 deficit to grab a 16-12 lead, before New Zealand clicked into high gear to storm to a 36-16 halftime advantage. Standout fullback Jamayne Isaako, who is set to join the Melbourne Storm for the next domestic season, stole the show by breaking a 24-year-old national record: his 38-point single-match haul, including three tries and 13 successful conversions, surpassed the previous mark of 32 points set by Tasesa Lavea against the exact same Cook Islands side back in 2000. Multiple Kiwi players landed on the scoresheet, with Test debutant Tanner Stowers-Smith, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Casey McLean all crossing for two tries apiece, alongside additional scores from Scott Sorensen, Kodi Nikorima, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and replacement full-back Keano Kini, who stepped in for injured star Kalyn Ponga. New Zealand’s women’s team delivered an even more lopsided result earlier the same day in Brisbane, dismantling France 92-0 in an 18-try masterclass. Apii Nicholls led the rout with four tries, while Stacey Waaka and Mele Hufanga each secured a hat-trick, and Raecene McGregor notched two tries plus five try assists to dominate playmaking duties. The win extends the Kiwi Ferns’ undefeated head-to-head run against France at the World Cup to three matches, with a combined total scoreline of 236-0 across those fixtures. As group stage play nears its conclusion, three high-stakes fixtures are scheduled for Saturday 31 October: Fiji takes on France at 02:20 GMT, New Zealand’s men face off against the Cook Islands for a make-or-break group decider at 04:30 GMT, and the New Zealand women’s side will wrap up their Pool B campaign against Papua New Guinea at 06:45 GMT. The women’s Kiwi side, currently top of their group, is on track to face either Samoa or England in the semi-finals. The 2025 Rugby League World Cup runs from 15 October through 15 November, co-hosted by Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, with full live audio commentary for all men’s matches and key women’s fixtures available via BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport digital platforms.