England's World Cup Hopes Revived by Massive Victory Over France
A dominant 82-0 win against France keeps England's semi-final aspirations alive, but they still need favorable results in other matches.
England secured a crucial 82-0 victory over France in Perth, significantly boosting their chances of reaching the Men's Rugby League World Cup semi-finals. This commanding performance was essential after their earlier 30-12 defeat to Tonga.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, England still requires further favorable outcomes to advance. Their next challenge is to defeat Papua New Guinea in Wollongong. Subsequently, they must hope that Tonga secures a victory against Samoa in their upcoming match.
The game started nervously for England, seemingly weighed down by the permutations required for progression. However, they found their rhythm in the first half, scoring three tries in a four-minute span. By halftime, England had accumulated six converted tries, with Herbie Farnworth completing a hat-trick. By the end of the match, Dom Young had also scored three tries, contributing to England's total of 14.
Captain George Williams initiated England's breakthrough in the 23rd minute with a pass to Young for the opening try. Full-back AJ Brimson also played a key role, creating chances with his direct runs, including one that set up Matty Ashton for England's second try. Farnworth scored his first try on 27 minutes following a pass from Harry Smith. He added a second nine minutes later, and Williams then powered over for England's fifth try.
England's most fluid play of the tournament, a swift move to the right, set up Farnworth's third try just before the break. Shortly after halftime, Young scored his second try from a grubber kick, bringing England's score to 40. Jez Litten and Williams further exploited a tiring French defense, with Victor Radley scoring unopposed.
England maintained pressure, with Litten scoring after repelling a French attack. Another surge led by Brimson resulted in Mikey Lewis scoring England's tenth try. Young completed his hat-trick after capitalizing on a poor French kick-off. Jack Welsby added a twelfth try during a flurry of scores, and Lewis secured the thirteenth, surpassing Samoa's previous winning margin against France. Brimson concluded the scoring with a deserved try.
Hugo Savala was instrumental with his goal-kicking, converting 13 of his 14 attempts for a total of 26 points. Despite the dominant performance, England made six errors in the opening 20 minutes, indicating areas for improvement against stronger opposition.
The result is crucial for England's points difference, which could be a deciding factor if they finish level with Tonga. Earlier, Samoa had defeated Papua New Guinea 62-6. England entered the match with a 150-point deficit on points difference compared to Samoa. This substantial win aids England's cause, but their progression to the semi-finals ultimately depends on both their own performance and the results of other group matches.