Neither England nor Papua New Guinea currently have any games booked in ahead of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, but the Kumuls appear eager to arrange a mid-season Test.
PNG head coach Jason Demetriou, who will also be in charge of Championship outfit London Broncos next year, confirmed he’d be keen to see the Kumuls take on England next summer.
The two nations have not squared off since 2022 when they met in the quarter-finals of the delayed 2021 Rugby League World Cup, a game England won 46-6.
Plenty of Kumuls have arrived in the UK since then, and a plethora will ply their trade in the British game in 2026 – including a growing contingent in the capital at the Broncos.
So, while we’re aware this isn’t a full strength PNG side, here’s how the Kumuls could line up if they were to face England mid-season next year…
Morea Morea (London Broncos)
Morea Morea (ball in hand) in action for Papua New Guinea in 2024
Exciting young full-back Morea Morea has scored a try in each of his three international appearances for PNG so far, including on debut against the Cook Islands in 2024 when he was activated as the 18th man. Will spend 2026 with Demetriou at London having been announced by the Broncos earlier this month.
Edene Gebbie (Doncaster)
Former PNG Hunters ace Gebbie turned 30 earlier this year, with his three Kumuls caps all picked up back in 2019, including one against Great Britain. 26 tries in 22 appearances all competitions for Championship side Doncaster in 2025 following his off-season arrival from Whitehaven.
Rodrick Tai (Unattached)
We’re not sure whether Tai is sticking around in the UK or heading back Down Under having been let go by Warrington after his contract came to an end while injured. If it’s the former, he’d be in this PNG side, for sure. Nine appearances on his CV for the Kumuls.
Robert Mathias (London Broncos)
Mathias’ signing is yet to be formally announced by London, but he’s headed for the capital ahead of 2026 under Demetriou’s tutelage and will hope to earn himself a spot in PNG’s World Cup squad. With four caps to his name, he notched his first international try during their 2025 Pacific Bowl triumph, scoring against Fiji.
Nene Macdonald (London Broncos)
Nene Macdonald in action for Papua New Guinea
Elder statesman Macdonald is another who hasn’t officially been announced by the Broncos just yet, but is believed to be on his way to the capital. Having made his Kumuls bow back in 2013, he’s now played 23 games in their colours, and grabbed his 14th international try this autumn against Fiji. We’re sticking him on the wing in this side.
Finley Glare (London Broncos)
Also able to slot in at hooker, Glare was the first Kumul announced by London for 2026. After impressing for PNG Hunters in the Queensland Cup over the last few years, he was handed his first two Kumuls caps by Demetriou this autumn, including a start against Fiji. If PNG are looking to the future, he’s going to have a role to play.
Lachlan Lam (Leigh Leopards)
Leigh man Lam followed in dad Adrian’s footsteps as he made his PNG bow back in 2017 and has now captained the side numerous times on the international stage. He has 15 Kumuls appearances under his belt, and in 2025 registered the second-most assists of anyone ever in a single Super League campaign. Talk about star quality.
Emmanuel Waine (Bradford Bulls)
As far as we’re aware, the Waine train will return to Super League in 2026 with Bradford. He joined the Bulls on a two-year deal ahead of 2025, and went on to feature on loan for London and Batley in the Championship as well as Salford in the top-flight. His three Kumuls caps were all earned in the last World Cup, though he didn’t play in the quarter-final against England.
Edwin Ipape (Leigh Leopards)
Edwin Ipape in action for Papua New Guinea during the 2021 Rugby League World Cup
The King of LeighNG, or Papua NewGuinLeigh, if you prefer. Ipape is now right up there as one of the best hookers in the world for us. Formerly of the PNG Hunters, his international bow came in 2018, with 12 caps on his CV now as well as more than 100 appearances for the Leopards.
Jacob Alick-Wiencke (Leigh Leopards)
Leigh have added to their Kumuls tally ahead of 2026, and Alick-Wiencke is among their signings, arriving from NRL outfit Gold Coast Titans. A back-rower by trade, we’ve had to shoe horn him into the front-row here. If he got the chance to add to his 11 games so far in a png shirt, we’re sure he wouldn’t mind!
Jeremiah Simbiken (London Broncos)
Simbiken’s signing is still to be confirmed by London, but he’s heading for the capital next season having departed Super League outfit Castleford just before the end of the 2025 campaign. The versatile forward played 14 games for the Tigers, with the most recent of his five caps for the Kumuls to date picked up in 2024.
Rhyse Martin (Hull KR)
It wasn’t a bad 2025 for Martin, was it?! After winning the treble at club level with Hull KR, he then jetted off Down Under and scooped the Pacific Bowl with the Kumuls. Now 32, his international bow was made back in 2014 and he currently has 21 appearances to his name in a PNG shirt having scored tries in both of their games this autumn.
Liam Horne (Leigh Leopards)
Liam Horne in action for Papua New Guinea
Horne has made the cross-Super League switch from Castleford to Leigh ahead of 2026, taking the Leopards’ squad tally of Kumuls up to four as well as head coach Adrian Lam. Adding utility value being able to slot in at nine as well as loose, he’s played seven games for PNG to date.
Bench: Watson Boas (Doncaster), Dan Russell (Bradford Bulls), McKenzie Yei (Oldham), Jason Tali (Doncaster)
There are 20 games for Papua New Guinea between this bench, albeit much of the heavy lifting in that tally is done by new Bradford recruit Russell’s 11 caps.
Boas has represented the Kumuls twice, Yei four times and Tali thrice.
This line-up is entirely hypothetical, of course, but we must state it would require confirmation Yei is sticking around at either Oldham or in the British game and that veteran Tali is going around again with Doncaster.
Tali is now 38, and his last international cap came back in 2014!
18th man: Junior Bini Kaeaka (Hull KR)
Papua New Guinean starlet Junior Bini Kaeaka poses in a Hull KR polo shirt after landing in the UK in March 2025 – Image credit: Hull KR
Teenage half-back Junior Bini Kaeaka is currently in the youth system at Craven Park. He joined KR earlier this year as part of their partnership with Port Moresby Vipers.
The Super League champions snapped up Kaeaka, who hails from the Koiari Central Province, after he impressed playing for his school team as well as the Vipers’ academy.
Alternatively, ex-Toulouse Olympique winger Kuni Minga could be thrust into this 18th man role. Now 32, Minga had been plying his trade in the Super XIII with Saint-Gaudens Bears up until the current campaign over in France.
Ahead of the 2025/26 season, he switched code as he joined Federale 1 outfit Céret, who play at the highest level of the amateur union game in France.
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