England's hopes of reaching the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals hang by a thread after a chaotic 34-12 victory over Papua New Guinea that featured 21 handling errors and a 57% completion rate. The win leaves England needing Tonga to defeat Samoa by more than 46 points in their final group match – a scenario considered highly improbable given Tonga's 34-6 loss to Samoa a year ago and their lack of a win over Samoa since 2018.
Match Summary
England led 22-0 after 22 minutes thanks to tries from Matty Ashton, AJ Brimson, Dominic Young and Harry Smith, appearing on track to overturn the 68-point deficit they faced against Samoa. However, a barrage of penalties and turnovers allowed Papua New Guinea back into the contest, with Dudley Dotoi and Gairo Voro scoring for the Kumuls. Herbie Farnworth was stripped of the ball near the try line moments before Mikey Lewis added a late try, summing up England's error-strewn performance. Morgan Knowles also crossed in the second half. Goals were kicked by Savala (5) and Smith for England, and Martin (2) for Papua New Guinea.
Qualification Scenario
England's only path to the last four now requires Tonga to beat Samoa by a margin exceeding 46 points. Given recent history, that outcome appears extremely unlikely, effectively ending England's title defence.
Player of the Match
AJ Brimson was the standout performer for England, earning player-of-the-match honours. The fullback, who made his England debut against Australia last autumn, was influential in both attack and defence, posting impressive metres gained and making crucial tackles throughout the 80 minutes.
