Tonga beat England 30-12 in Rugby League World Cup opener in Perth

Mixed · 2Tonga beat England 30-12 in Perth on Saturday 17 October in the opening match of both teams' Rugby League World Cup campaigns, scoring four tries to two. 1 2 Centre · 1Tonga's tries came from Stefano Utoikamanu, Tolutau Koula and two from Haumole Olakau'atu, with Isaiya Katoa kicking three conversions and four penalties; England's came from full-back AJ Brimson and winger Dom Young. 3 Mixed · 2Utoikamanu's try was the only one of the first half, and Tonga led 10-0 at the interval; BBC reports it came two minutes after Victor Radley knocked on near the Tonga line following a heavy tackle from captain Jason Taumalolo, and that two Katoa penalties from debatable calls added to the lead. 1 3

Mixed · 2Brimson scored England's first try in the 46th minute; AFP credits a pass from Hugo Savala, while the BBC says it followed a driving run from Young. Olakau'atu then pounced on a kick that ricocheted to him, Koula added another to make it 24-6, Young scored in the corner, and Olakau'atu sealed the win in the 71st minute. 1 3 Centre · 1The BBC described the result as a major upset: England are ranked third in the world and Tonga fifth, and it was Tonga's first win in seven meetings with England. It said England's errors, wastefulness and some debatable refereeing decisions cost them. 3 2 Mixed · 2Coach Brian McDermott, in his first match in charge after being appointed in April, said the errors were England's own and fixable: "We were not strategically outdone." Captain George Williams called the result "really disappointing" but said "one loss does not change how we think". Tonga captain Jason Taumalolo said his side knew "we were in for a fight for the whole 80 minutes". 2 1

Centre · 1The BBC noted England played no warm-up match, had not won since November 2024, and that McDermott's selections, including the Smith-Williams halves pairing and Brimson at full-back over Jack Welsby, will be questioned; changes are expected when the team for France is named on Tuesday. 2 Mixed · 2Only the top two of the six teams in the combined Group B-C progress to the semi-finals, so England say they must beat France and Papua New Guinea; AFP gives the France game as 24 October in Perth, and the BBC says Papua New Guinea follow on 30 October, with Tonga's last group game against Samoa two days later. Tonga play Lebanon in Sydney on 23 October. 2 1 Mixed · 2In the other men's match that day, Papua New Guinea beat Lebanon 42-18 in Port Moresby. 3 1