Australia survived an opening-night scare, Tonga delivered a historic victory and Samoa wasted little time showcasing their attacking firepower.
The opening round of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup provided an early look at the contenders, while leaving England facing a difficult path to the knockout stages.
Here are the biggest takeaways from Week 1.
Australia win, but leave room for encouragement for their rivals
Australia banked the result they needed against New Zealand, but their 24-22 victory offered plenty for their rivals to work with.
The Kiwis gained close to 300 more running metres than the Kangaroos, exposing an area Australia will need to address as the tournament progresses. Winning a tight contest is valuable; consistently conceding that much ground is a difficult way to defend a World Cup.
Jack Bostock's debut hat trick proved decisive, while Reece Walsh's long-range try underlined Australia's ability to turn a game through individual brilliance. Those threats remain even when the Kangaroos are struggling to establish control.
For New Zealand, the frustration is that a strong performance went unrewarded. Kalyn Ponga's two tries demonstrated what he can add to their attack, although the arm injury that ended his night and left him needing surgery, raises concerns.
Australia emerged with the points. New Zealand showed enough to suggest another meeting would be far from straightforward.
Tonga's defence gives their title challenge substance
Tonga's attacking talent attracts attention, but their defensive resolve was the most significant feature of their 30-12 victory over England.
Repeatedly challenged in the opening half, Kristian Woolf's side held England scoreless and reached the break ahead 10-0. When AJ Brimson's try narrowed the gap, Tonga responded with consecutive tries to regain control.
Haumole Olakau'atu finished with a double as Tonga recorded their first victory over England.
The result strengthens their position in the race for a semifinal berth, but the manner of the performance should be just as encouraging.
Tonga demonstrated they could absorb pressure, withstand a shift in momentum and take their opportunities. Those qualities will become increasingly valuable when the tournament reaches its decisive matches.
Their ability with the ball was already apparent. Holding England out through that opening period provided a stronger indication of how difficult they could be to beat.
England already have little margin for error
One defeat has left England facing the prospect of an early exit, even if they win both remaining pool matches.
Only two teams from the combined Pool B and C standings advance to the semifinals. Tonga now hold the head-to-head advantage over England, while Samoa's 78-4 win over France has established a substantial points-difference buffer.
England still have France and Papua New Guinea to play. Winning those fixtures is the immediate requirement, but the size of those victories could also become crucial.
That creates a difficult balance: chasing points while correcting the errors that undermined their opener.
England generated opportunities against Tonga, yet too often failed to turn them into scoreboard pressure. Against opposition capable of punishing those missed chances, promising passages were insufficient.
Their next two performances must deliver considerably more. Even then, qualification could depend on results elsewhere.
Fa'alogo highlights Samoa's enviable attacking depth
Sua Fa'alogo began Samoa's World Cup opener on the bench. He finished it with four tries and 252 running metres.
Introduced after Deine Mariner suffered a hamstring injury, the Melbourne speedster immediately demonstrated the value of Samoa's attacking depth in their 78-4 win over France.
With Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow starting at fullback, Samoa could still call upon another explosive runner capable of transforming an opportunity into points. Fa'alogo's performance gives coach Ben Gardiner plenty to consider as the opposition becomes stronger.
There was encouragement beyond the established names, too. Test debutant Francis Manuleleua ran for 223 metres, including 89 after contact, while Jermaine McEwen topped Samoa's tackle count.
France offered limited resistance, so the result alone cannot establish where Samoa sit among the leading contenders.
It did, however, show how many attacking options they possess, and how difficult selection could become if their emerging players continue to contribute alongside their stars.
