Sky Sports' Jon Wilkin has criticised the Rugby League World Cup format as 'fundamentally flawed' after England were left on the brink of their first group-stage exit in the tournament's history. England secured a 34-12 victory against Papua New Guinea but needed to win by 68 points to leapfrog Samoa in Pool B and C. Their hopes now rest on Tonga, who face Samoa on Sunday, with England needing a win by more than 46 points to advance.
The new 10-team format, downsized from 16 after France withdrew, has intensified group game stakes. Wilkin called the competition structure 'diabolical', noting England essentially played their quarter-final in week one. He condemned the lack of proper quarter-finals, saying 'England should be in the quarter-finals' given their talent.
Despite the tournament's challenges, Wilkin commended Australia's organisational efforts while deeming the structure 'laughable' and unfair to teams starting out.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing