England captain George Williams has stated the team welcomes the underdog tag as they prepare to face a formidable Tonga side in their Rugby League World Cup opener in Perth on Saturday. Despite past victories against Tonga, including a narrow win in the 2017 World Cup semi-finals and a 3-0 Test series triumph three years ago, Williams acknowledges Tonga's strength, which is bolstered by numerous NRL players.
"Tonga are a stacked team. They have been for a few years now," Williams said. "We'll be underdogs but we'll quite like that kind of brush on our head and we'll bring our game tomorrow night against a great team."
England faces challenges, including the withdrawal of Morgan Smithies due to injury and a late change in the starting lineup with Luke Thompson replacing Morgan Knowles. Williams anticipates a difficult match, especially given the expected high humidity in HBF Park.
England's recent World Cup history has been marked by close matches and near misses. They lost to Samoa in a golden-point semi-final in 2022 and were defeated 6-0 by Australia in the 2017 final. Williams, a veteran of those squads, dismissed concerns that past heartbreaks could hinder the current team under head coach Brian McDermott.
"I don't think it hinders us. Some of the lads were talking about the last World Cup and it was probably one of the most difficult losses of my career to date," Williams added. "It does sit there. You can't hide away from what happened but what it can do is give you drive and motivation."
McDermott, who took over as head coach in April, has introduced changes aimed at bringing a "point of difference" in attack. With Australia and New Zealand expected to advance from Pool A, England is likely to contend with Tonga, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea for the remaining semi-final spots. Williams suggested the team has implemented new strategies.
"It's definitely been different. I'm not going to tell you all the tricks and what we're up to and what we're talking about, but it has been different and it's been enjoyable," Williams said. "I think the group have all bought into what he wants us to do. Don't be expecting this mad expansive style of free-for-all but we're going to put some stuff in there that we've not done previously."
The women's team will also begin their World Cup campaign prior to the men's match, facing Wales. Captain Jodie Cunningham acknowledged the strengths of the Welsh team, which includes former England players.
"I've seen Paige Travis and Dani McGifford and my team-mates at St Helens. I know all their strengths and how fantastic they are," said Cunningham, who is set to appear in her fourth World Cup. "Hopefully we come out on top. The combinations are really starting to come together now, so we're just excited and we're all ready to go."