Australia remain unbeaten, but their second World Cup outing provided another reminder that their title defence is far from straightforward.
Fiji pushed the Kangaroos in Brisbane, Samoa and Tonga maintained their winning starts, and England piled on the points to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the second round of the men's Rugby League World Cup.
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Fiji give Australia another warning
Two wins from two looks comfortable on paper. Australia's performances have told a different story.
After narrowly overcoming New Zealand in their opener, the Kangaroos were again forced to work for their points in a 36-22 victory over Fiji.
The Bati led 16-12 early in the second half and remained within eight points entering the closing stages. Semi Valemei finished with a hat trick, while Kurt Donoghoe's creativity repeatedly troubled the Australian defence.
Kevin Walters made extensive changes, and combinations will take time to develop. Even allowing for that, Fiji found enough opportunities to give Australia's coaching staff plenty to address.
The Kangaroos ultimately had the quality to recover, with Tom Trbojevic's second-half hat trick helping secure their semifinal place. But consecutive difficult outings leave questions about how convincingly they can control a contest.
For Fiji, the performance should provide belief heading into their meeting with New Zealand. They challenged Australia for sustained periods and created genuine opportunities to win.
Tedesco makes the fullback decision harder
James Tedesco made the most of his opportunity to press for Australia's No.1 jersey.
Returning to the Test side against Fiji, the Roosters captain helped create three tries and provided an attacking influence when the Kangaroos needed it.
Reece Walsh had already demonstrated his match-winning ability against New Zealand. Tedesco's response leaves Walters with two compelling options ahead of the knockout stages.
The decision now deserves to extend beyond which fullback produces the most spectacular individual moments. Australia need to establish which combination gives their attack the greatest consistency.
Tedesco has given the selectors a strong reason to consider him for that role. With one pool match remaining, the fullback position shapes as one of Walters' most consequential calls.
Leniu gives Samoa a weapon when games tighten
Samoa's outside backs have attracted plenty of attention, but Spencer Leniu's impact against Papua New Guinea highlighted another reason to take their challenge seriously.
The Kumuls led 6-4 in front of a vocal Port Moresby crowd when Leniu entered the contest. Samoa had been challenged physically and had yet to establish control.
His introduction helped change that.
Leniu ran for 166 metres, broke 10 tackles and scored a try in 38 minutes as Samoa turned the early deficit into a commanding advantage. They eventually won 64-6, taking their tally to 142 points across two matches.
The final margin obscured the competitive opening, but that period was instructive. Samoa showed they could turn to their bench for the momentum their starting side had struggled to generate.
That could prove particularly valuable against Tonga. There will be less room for Samoa's attacking stars unless their forwards first create it, and Leniu offers Ben Gardiner a proven way to change the tempo.
England respond, but the job remains unfinished
England needed a substantial response after losing to Tonga. An 82-0 victory over France delivered one.
Herbie Farnworth and Dom Young both scored hat tricks, while AJ Brimson produced three try assists, five line breaks and a try in a commanding performance at fullback.
Perhaps the most striking feature was how quickly the match changed. After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, England scored six tries in 16 minutes to take control.
They continued attacking after halftime, recognising the importance of improving their points difference.
That leaves England on +64, compared with Samoa's +132. Their emphatic victory has kept them in contention, but they still need a strong result against Papua New Guinea and help from the Tonga-Samoa clash.
There is encouragement in the way their attack found its rhythm. The challenge is carrying that execution into a match where the resistance is greater and the stakes are higher.
Beating France so comprehensively was a necessary step. It has not yet repaired the damage from their opening defeat.
Tonga's defensive resolve sets up a compelling Samoa clash?
Tonga will meet Samoa with an unbeaten record of their own after keeping Lebanon scoreless in a 36-0 win.
Without injured halfback Isaiya Katoa, Tonga relied on Tui Lolohea to guide their attack and again showed the defensive commitment that underpinned their opening victory over England.
Lebanon made them work, particularly in the first half, but Tonga's scramble repeatedly prevented the Cedars from converting pressure into points.
Tolu Koula supplied a decisive moment before halftime, collecting a Lebanon kick tap-back and racing 90 metres to score. What could have become a much tighter contest instead became a 14-0 advantage.
Katoa is expected to return against Samoa, strengthening Tonga for their biggest test of the pool stage.
Samoa's ability to accelerate through a match will meet a defence that has conceded just 12 points in two outings. How Tonga handle that speed, and how Samoa respond if their opportunities are restricted, should tell us considerably more about both contenders.
Ioka provides a reminder to look beyond the scoreline
New Zealand's 82-16 win over the Cook Islands contained one of the round's most memorable individual performances - from a player on the losing side.
Esom Ioka scored three tries in the opening 20 minutes, including two intercepts and an aerial finish, to briefly put the Cook Islands ahead.
The Queensland Cup winger's anticipation, speed and finishing gave his side a remarkable start against a heavily favoured opponent.
New Zealand recovered emphatically. Jamayne Isaako finished with three tries and 13 goals for a record 38-point haul in a Kiwis Test, while Tanner Stowers-Smith scored twice on debut.
But Ioka's contribution deserves recognition beyond a footnote in a heavy defeat.
For players outside the NRL, these fixtures offer a rare opportunity to demonstrate their ability against established internationals. Ioka took his, producing a passage of football that the eventual margin should not overshadow.