McDermott seeks fix as England fight to save their World Cup

England lost 30-12 to Tonga in their opening match of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, leaving their hopes of reaching the semi-finals under pressure. Coach Brian McDermott said his side had created chances but made too many errors, and that they must win their next two matches.

Tonga, ranked fifth in the world against England’s third, secured their first win over England in seven meetings. England had no warm-up games and had not won since November 2024; McDermott is expected to consider changes before Tuesday’s team announcement for the France match. The six nations in the combined Group B-C each play only three opponents, making the route to the semi-finals complex.