No timeline has been placed on a potential return to play, but Kiwi team doctor Greg Macleod said Ponga would remain with the team.
Kiwis coach Stacey Jones said Ponga was feeling upbeat after the match despite the injury, while captain James Fisher-Harris labelled him a “tough bugger” and praised his efforts, with the fullback scoring two tries, running for 253m and making three line breaks.
“He’s a tough bugger,” Fisher-Harris said. “Obviously a lot of pride in the black and white jersey and he doesn’t want to let his teammates down.
“I thought he did an outstanding job. He’s just a freakish player, but he’s also one of those tough players. I’m feeling for him right now, but fingers crossed it’s not too bad.”
Jones was equally impressed by what Ponga brought to the side, having arrived in camp after a strong finish to the NRL season with the Newcastle Knights, where he carried them to their first grand final in 25 years.
“What a freak,” Jones said. “What he did for Newcastle and how he played his footy in the last month, and then to come into this team and play off the back of what these guys did.
“We dominated so many areas of that game and he was sort of a beneficiary from that, and playing behind this forward pack he probably felt real comfortable.”
Ponga was very influential across the match with a number of big carries, although he would have been disappointed not to have scored just before the halftime break when Reece Walsh tackled him into touch close to the line.
But Ponga would eventually find the line early in the second half, pouncing on an Isaiah Papali’i offload to score early in the second half.
Then came the worrying moment when he injured his arm.
But he carried on and produced a moment of individual brilliance, with the fullback fending off Munster with his injured arm before racing 45m to score, his shorts hanging around his thighs.
Speaking to Channel 7 after the game, Walsh said he enjoyed the battle with Ponga.
“Man, he was massive for them tonight,” Walsh said.
“I’m honestly really gutted that he looks to be injured there. That’s going to be one the fans are really going to miss in the tournament.”
New Zealand face the Cook Islands in Christchurch next weekend before their final group game against Fiji.
Jones said Keano Kini would likely get first crack in the No 1 jersey.
“The campaign he had for us last year, it was tough leaving him out because of the player he is,” Jones said. “He’s a handy footy player and he was one of our best players last year. The type of player he is will feed off what these guys do up front.”
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.