Title: England's World Cup opener loss to Tonga
Content: As Tonga celebrated in Perth, England suffered a 30-12 defeat in their 2026 Rugby League World Cup opener. Despite being the better side in the opening 20 minutes of both halves, England shot themselves in the foot with a succession of handling errors, needless offloads, and sloppy penalties. Tonga's Haumole Olakau'atu scored a fourth try late in the game to seal the victory. Coach Brian McDermott insisted the team is heading in the right direction, but acknowledged the need to fix possession issues. England's preparation has been minimal, with no warm-up matches since losing to Australia in November 2025. The team selection was also questioned, with George Williams having a poor game and central pairing concerns. England must win their next two games against France and Papua New Guinea to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
来源: BBC Sport · 由HeadlinesBriefing整理摘要