Sports · Other Sports · 1 hr ago
England face separate tests to reach Rugby League World Cup semi-finals
England’s women need to beat Samoa on Friday to finish second in Group A and reach the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals.
The must-win match comes after Australia beat England 78-0, their second heavy defeat to the Jillaroos in 19 months.
Coach Stuart Barrow says his young team remain positive and want to respond, despite the result.
England’s men must beat Papua New Guinea on Friday to keep their semi-final hopes alive after losing their opening match to Tonga and then beating France 82-0.
Their progress also depends on the Samoa-Tonga result: if Samoa avoid defeat, England will be eliminated, while a Tonga win would leave points difference deciding the second qualifying place.
The men are 68 points behind Samoa on points difference before the final round of pool matches, so the margin of their win over Papua New Guinea could matter.
Both England teams are therefore facing different routes to the knockout stage, with their next matches set to decide whether they advance.
England’s women need to beat Samoa on Friday to finish second in Group A and reach the Rugby League World Cup knockout stages.
The match is a winner-takes-all clash in Wollongong, scheduled for 6.45am GMT.
England go into the game after a 78-0 defeat by Australia, who scored 15 tries.
Head coach Stuart Barrow said his players remained positive and did not want to go home.
- Who
- England’s women and Samoa’s women.
- What
- England need to win to finish second in Group A and reach the knockout stages.
- When
- Friday at 6.45am GMT.
- Where
- Wollongong, Australia.
- Why
- The winner takes second place in Group A; England need a victory to advance.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Australia beat England 78-0, scoring 15 tries.
England are due to face Samoa in a winner-takes-all match for a place in the knockout stages.
- England’s score against Australia
- 0
- Australia’s score against England
- 78
- Australia’s tries
- 15
- Samoa match venue
- Wollongong
- Samoa match time
- Friday, 6.45am GMT
3 sources
What people are saying
people don't want to go home. They want to have this game against Samoa and give our best.
I thought we competed, but we got beat by a far better team with just too much quality.
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