England face France in do-or-die Rugby League World Cup clash

England must defeat France by a significant margin in Perth on Saturday to keep their Rugby League World Cup hopes alive after suffering a shock 30-12 defeat to Tonga in their tournament opener. Only two nations from the six competing across Pools B and C will advance to the final four of the 10-team tournament being co-hosted by Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Coach Brian McDermott has named an unchanged side for the must-win encounter, backing the squad to rebound from their disappointing start.

'Real belief' in England camp

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Pool B clash, Wigan hooker Brad O'Neill acknowledged the defeat but insisted the team’s attacking intent was evident throughout the match. "Despite the result, I feel like the way that we wanted to play was on show," he said, adding that England must maintain their approach while improving their finishing. "There is a real belief in our team," he added.

France refuse to surrender

France also need a decisive victory following their 78-4 demolition by Samoa, a result that leaves them facing an uphill battle against an England side that has won the last 23 meetings between the two nations. Fullback Arthur Mourgue conceded that France remain "a bit under" the top-tier nations in quality but insisted the squad would not surrender without a fight, stating: "We do have speed and some great forwards but compared with top-quality nations we are still a bit under them. But we're not going away."

Tournament picture

The tournament resumes on Friday in Sydney where Tonga will face Lebanon following their upset victory over England, with Tonga playmaker Isaiya Katoa stating the result reflected the squad's internal confidence. "Within our four walls, we had that belief already," he told reporters. Papua New Guinea host Samoa in the other Pool B fixture, while holders Australia meet Fiji in Brisbane on Saturday and New Zealand take on the Cook Islands in Christchurch without injured fullback Kalyn Ponga.