It was a week of highs and lows for England men and women in the Rugby League World Cup, with England women’s massive 70-4 win over Wales women being followed by a tough 30-12 loss for England against Tonga.
Both England teams are considered underdogs to make it through to the semi-finals, with the task now getting even greater for the men’s side after that loss to what looks to be potentially the strongest Tonga team we have ever seen.
Meanwhile, England women prep for Australia – a feat that will be their biggest to date.
So, what did we learn from their openers and what can we expect moving forward into week two? Let’s take a look…
Second phase play brings errors but opportunity
England men had a clear tactic in their match against Tonga – second phase play. They were offloading the ball freely and constantly trying to create opportunity and space. In all fairness, it worked and got them into try-scoring positions on the field.
In the first half in particular, they looked a real attacking threat. That is, until they got within the opposition’s 20 metres.
It was then, that their last play options and attacking options, let them down. They had 27 offloads compared to Tonga’s five. They had 246 passes compared to Tonga’s 191. Despite that, they made over 70 more tackles than Tonga and not only that, they put up just five bombs – Tonga had 12.
They did not pressurise and become clinical in the moments that mattered and it meant that, when momentum went the other way, they had no points on the board to show for their pressure.
At 10-6 down, they conceded one of the luckiest tries from a kick you might see – a ricochet of the flukiest variety.
Brian McDermott admitted that his style of play was risky. He said that they would try things and sometimes they would come off and sometimes they would not. In the first half, England had made nine errors while Tonga had made just three.
There seemed to be a spark to England, a flair somewhat for 80 metres of the pitch but in the final 20, ideas faded away.
Strongest Tonga, travel day(s), and missing grunt
Of course, it is important to put the loss to Tonga into context. Many England fans will be ruing that this match was not the closing match of the Pool stages for England rather than their opener.
After just about a week together, with no mid-season internationals, England travelled across the world from Heathrow, to Sydney, then Perth, and did what they could in seven days. To call them far from ideal circumstances is to put it lightly.
Not only that, their forward pack was not what they would have wanted. Morgan Smithies was ruled out of the tournament, another enforcer in Morgan Knowles was then ruled out of the game. Add to that the fact Matty Lees, Caleb Hamlin-Uele, and Mike McMeeken were not options and the grunt we expect from a traditional England outfit wanes.
England were also coming up against what is arguably the strongest Tonga team we have ever seen. Kristian Woolf has some real star talent to pick from.
Tonga’s Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is tackled by England’s Victor Radley, Harry Smith, Sam Walters and Brad O’Neill
Robert Toia is up there as one of the best centres in the world alongside Herbie Farnworth. Toluta’u Koula, in the other centre spot, played State of Origin this year as did Addin Fonua-Blake and Stefano Utoikamanu.
Toia, Siua Wong, and Salesi Foketi won the Grand Final with the Sydney Roosters in 2026. Haumole Olakau’atu was voted the second rower of the year. Youngster Isaiya Katoa is considered a superstar in the making in the halves.
When written down on paper, they were always an exceptional feat to take on.
Rowe makes her mark with ball and boot
England women shone in their opener against Wales women and one player who justified her selection and then some was player of the match Izzy Rowe.
The big talking point before the match was who would be chosen out of Rowe, woman of Steel Jenna Foubister, and NRLW star Georgia Roche in the halves. England head coach Stu Barrow opted for Rowe and Roche, starting Foubister on the bench.
England’s Izzy Rowe was accurate off the tee
Rowe went onto show just why as she scored the most points ever by an England player in a match. She excelled with the ball in hand but her kicking game was also exceptional both in play and off the tee. It is an attribute that makes her somewhat of a necessity in the side and she showed why.
Foubister came on and showed her worth too, pulling off a brilliant assist, but it is a welcome problem for England moving forward.
Step up next week – getting over Vegas
England endured a record-breaking defeat against world champions Australia in Las Vegas with the outstanding Tamika Upton scoring five of Australia’s 17 tries
Talking of moving forward, England women will have to box off a strong opening result and focus on the enormous task they have up next – facing the reigning and defending champions Australia.
Last time these two sides met, it was a sobering outing for England back in 2025 as they fell to a 90-4 loss to the Jillaroos in Las Vegas. It was a stark reminder of the gulf between the two teams and the journey English rugby league still has to go.
England face a vaunted Australia side in their next World Cup match
However, only a handful of players from that match remain in this international side and it is the chance for a lot of sensational youngsters to show that England have improved. Ensuring it stays as close a game as possible will be vital for England.
Last out, they will face Samoa who were beaten 40-0 by Australia. Points difference could be the key distinguisher of who makes it through to the semi-finals.
Underdogs mentality to shine through again
The underdog mentality for the England teams is going to have to shine through in week two but in different ways.
England women know they have their toughest task ahead but they are buoyant and will be fired up to show just what talent they have in their ranks.
England men, meanwhile, know they are up against it. They are in a complicated combined Group B and Group C.
Group B is England, Lebanon, Samoa, while Group C is France, Papua New Guinea, Tonga. After losing to Tonga, England now have France and PNG to play because you play the teams in the other group, not your own.
It means that, if results go as expected, England are effectively hoping for Tonga to beat Samoa and then be a straight shoot out with the Samoans for who can come away with the better results.
Remarkably, in the Rugby League World Cup 2022, Samoa got demolished by England in their opening game but then went on to beat them in the semi-final. England are afforded no such breathing room.
What’s next?
England must regroup ahead of facing France in Perth next Saturday, kick-off 7.35am (UK and Ireland time). Meanwhile, England women face Australia at 10.05am.
Discussion about this post