The Papua New Guinea Orchids made a spectacular start to their 2026 Rugby League World Cup campaign, overwhelming France 58–4 in front of a passionate home crowd at the Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby. 

Playing their first-ever World Cup match on home soil, PNG took immediate control under the scorching heat. They put on an attacking masterclass to carry a commanding 32–0 lead into the halftime break, leaving the French side with a mountain to climb. 

France started the second half with renewed determination, forcing an early line drop-out before capitalizing on a PNG error. Manon Samarra crossed the line to claim France's only try of the match, but the conversion was unsuccessful, bringing the score to 32–4. 

Any hopes of a French comeback were swiftly dashed as the Orchids responded in clinical fashion. Winger Naomi Kelly crossed for her second try of the afternoon, sparking a dominant second-half display. Kelly went on to score two more times, finishing with an incredible four-try haul. Her performance equaled the Orchids' international record for most tries in a single match, matching Belinda Gwasamun's 2022 World Cup record against Brazil.

PNG crossed the line 12 times in total. Fleur Ginn, Shellie Long, and Tia Molo each bagged impressive doubles, while former Wallaroos rugby union player Ivania Wong also showcase her blistering pace to score between the posts. 

Captain Elsie Albert, who led from the front with a powerful performance in the forward pack, expressed how meaningful the victory was for the squad.

"The win feels incredibly good for the team, and doing it in front of our home supporters provided a major boost," Albert said. She added that the Orchids were highly pleased with the collective performance, executing exactly what they had rehearsed on the training paddock.

The Orchids will look to carry this immense momentum forward into their Round 2 pool match, where they will remain at home to face Fiji.