RLWC26 : Select your Papua New Guinea Kumuls team for Rugby League World Cup 2026

Eels forward Luca Moretti and Sea Eagles centre Josh Feledy have been backed to make their debuts for Papua New Guinea at RLWC26, while former Kumuls captain Kyle Laybutt has support for a shock return. 

Moretti, who represented Italy at the last World Cup, qualifies for the Kumuls through his mother who was born in Port Moresby while her father was working in Papua New Guinea as a lawyer.

Feledy, who has played 15 NRL matches for Manly this season, recently told PNG reporters that he is eligible for the Kumuls through his mother, Jacqueline, and was keen to play at Rugby League World Cup 2026.

Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou revealed to rugbyleaguehub.com that Moretti had switched his international allegiance to PNG and he and Feledy are set to bring NRL experience to the 23-man squad.

In the lead up to the most anticipated World Cup since the first tournament in France in 1954, RLWC2026.com is giving fans the opportunity to select their teams and the Kumuls side is stacked with NRL and Super League talent.

Moretti and Eels team-mate Jack de Belin, who is a descendant of PNG missionaries, were the top polling front rowers, with Titans rising star Cooper Bai winning 74% of votes to start at lock.

Rabbitohs superstar Alex Johnston, the greatest tryscorer in Australian premiership history, polled a massive 82% of votes for one wing spot, with Broncos rookie Phillip Coates edging Robert Derby as the other winger.

Cowboys team-mate Zac Laybutt and Feledy were the top polling centres, ahead of Nene Macdonald, while Laybutt’s brother Kyle won the nod over Gairo Voro to partner Lachlan Lam in the halves. 

Laybutt announced his retirement last year but has been playing in the Townsville competition and turned out for the Blackhawks at halfback in their recent 24-22 defeat of Norths Devils that ensured their place in the Queensland Cup finals.

He has played 14 Tests for the Kumuls and captained PNG in the absence of Rhyse Martin during the 2023 Pacific Cup.

Martin (Hull KR), the Leigh trio of hooker Edwin Ipape, forward Jacob Alick-Wienke and utility Liam Horne, and Bradford secondrower Dan Russell have all be chosen from Super League.

Fullback Morea Morea won the No.1 jersey, prop prop Epel Kapinias and Voro, who were both selected on the six-man bench, are among six Kumuls in Demetriou’s all conquering London Broncos side, along with playmaker Finley Glare and centres Robert Mathias and Alex Max.

The Kumuls open their World Cup campaign at home against Lebanon on October 17 and also host Toa Samoa on October 24 in the most anticipated game in PNG history after Jarome Luai and Brian To’o signed with the Chiefs.

Their final group match against England at WIN Stadium on October 30 is likely to determine which nation advances to the semi-finals, with head-to-head results used instead of for-and-against if two teams are level on points.