England suffer early blow to Rugby League World Cup hopes with loss to Tonga
England were defeated in their opening game of the Rugby League World Cup
England’s Rugby League World Cup hopes are hanging by a thread after a crushing 30-12 defeat by Tonga in their opening match of the competition in Perth.
Brian McDermott’s men were undone by the brilliance of Dolphins half-back Isaiya Katoa who masterminded his side’s stunning win and contributed a crucial 14 points with the boot.
It means England realistically now need Tonga to beat Samoa in a fortnight’s time to stand the slimmest chance of progressing to the semi-final stage.
England failed to capitalise on some serious first-half momentum and the Tongans exposed their weaknesses after the break to gain emphatic revenge for their trio of test defeats in the UK in 2023.
England’s flat pack were comprehensively out-muscled and full-back AJ Brimson – preferred to St Helens number one Jack Welsby – was turned inside out by Katoa, who will team up with England captain George Williams at his NRL club next season.
For McDermott it was a massive wake-up call and he must now rebuild his shattered side for upcoming group games against Papua New Guinea and France, both of which are already in danger of being rendered irrelevant in the complicated cross-group system.
England piled on the pressure for much of a high-octane first half but they failed to find a way through an heroic Tongan rearguard and it was the South Sea islanders who reached the interval 10-0 in front.
Kai Pearce-Paul was denied an early opener by a superb saving tackle from Latu Fainu, and Brimson was hauled back by Lehi Hopoate, and Tonga suffered a major blow when playmaker Fainu was forced off injured.
But after soaking up half an hour of pressure, Tonga pounced when Katoa’s inch-perfect offload sent Stefano Utoikamanu galloping over for their opener.
Tonga would stretch their lead into double figures through two kicks from Katoa, but McDermott’s men looked to have forced their way right back into the contest when Hugo Savala sent Brimson over within six minutes of the restart.
Savala’s subsequent kick took England within four and they looked to have all the momentum until a needless penalty sent Tonga back up the other end of the field and they seized on a slice of fortune when Katoa’s kick ricocheted through and Haumole Olakau’atu touched down.
It got much worse for England as a clever kick through by former Huddersfield man Tui Lolohea sent Tolutau Koula over for his side’s third. Katoa’s sixth successful kick stretched Tonga’s lead to 18 as the game edged beyond the hour mark.
Dom Young gave England hope when he raced over on 63 minutes, but it was to prove a fleeting moment of hope as another Katoa kick sent Olakau’atu sent over for his second, and Tonga cruised through the final minutes to wrap up a richly deserved win.