The Kiwis have broken their rugby league World cup duck with a 48-6 win over Papua New Guinea on the Gold Coast.
The nine tries to one win all but guarantees a semi-final berth from Pool One.
The Kiwis led 22-0 at half-time with Simon Mannering scoring two tries, and they added five more in the second spell.
Their star playmaker Benji Marshall didn't take the field in the second half.
But a relaxed Kiwi camp said Marshall was rested as a precaution after he complained of hamstring tightness at halftime.
Second game syndrome appeared to have struck down the Kumuls who failed to back up from their stirring 10-point loss to England in their Cup opener.
In the other match Fiji upset France 42-6 at Wollongong, scoring seven tries to one and all but assuring themselves a semi-final qualifier against the winner of pool 3 on Monday week.
If they can win that game, probably against Samoa, they could find themselves in a semi-final against Australia.
