Wales endured a nightmare afternoon in Port Moresby as Papua New Guinea ran in 10 tries to open their Rugby League World Cup campaign with a thumping 50-6 win.
Experienced coach John Kear’s pre-match message would have been to stay in the game to quieten the fanatical home crowd but they were simply overpowered by the pumped-up tournament co-hosts.
Brisbane Broncos full-back David Mead helped himself to a hat-trick while Rhyse Martin added two tries and Nene MacDonald, Kato Ottio, Wellington Albert, Justin Olam and Paul Aiton each scored once as PNG showed no mercy.
Regan Grace touched down after the full-time hooter to get Wales on the board but they already have it all to do to progress to the quarter-finals with only the top side from Group C qualifying.
PNG are renowned for their physicality and they dominated Wales from the first whistle in a frenzied atmosphere at a sold-out National Football Stadium.
The writing was on the wall for Kear’s side as early as the fifth minute when Mead got on the outside of Matt Seamark and raced over out wide.
The Kumuls pack continued to wear down their Welsh counterparts in sweltering conditions and captain Mead was again the beneficiary as he took Ase Boas’ inside ball to cruise over next to the posts.
Boas missed a simple conversion but even at 8-0 it was difficult to see a way back for an already battered and bruised Wales.
MacDonald underlined PNG’s physical dominance when he brushed off three edge defenders to score, with the video referee ruling he had maintained possession of the ball.
Martin took over the kicking duties and nailed the touchline conversion but a faultless start threatened to be undone when Albert was placed on report for an alleged bite on Ben Evans.
Wales rarely breached a solid PNG defensive line throughout and the physical toll started to show in the latter stages of the first half.
Mead has a reputation as a dangerous broken-field runner and it was his break that allowed Watson Boas to dab in behind for Ottio to touch down.
Castleford fans were giving a glimpse of what they can expect from new signing Garry Lo as his jinking run across the field opened up space for Albert to race over.
It was a case of damage limitation for Wales at 26-0 but the half-time break proved to be only brief respite as Martin brushed off tired tacklers to go over two minutes into the second half.
Martin made it a double after taking Olam’s short ball and then returned the favour with his kick allowing the winger to touch down.
Mead became the first PNG player to score a World Cup hat-trick when he was first to former Leeds hooker James Segeyaro’s kick and Catalans Dragons nine Aiton was next to cross as the Kumuls made a significant statement.
St Helens winger Grace finished off Seamark’s cross-field kick on the last play of the game but Wales’ World Cup chances took a huge hit.