Williams: England relish underdog tag vs Tonga — SkimNews
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- George Williams said England "quite like" being labelled underdogs for Saturday's World Cup opener against Tonga at HBF Park in Perth, where humidity is expected to exceed 60%.
- Tonga feature multiple NRL stars and have "evolved since 2023," according to Williams, who called them "full of world-class players who play across the NRL."
- England made a late starting-lineup change, with Luke Thompson replacing the absent Morgan Knowles after Morgan Smithies was ruled out through injury.
- Brian McDermott, who replaced Shawn Wane as head coach after England's 3-0 Ashes defeat in 2025, has promised a "point of difference" in attack, though Williams hinted England will not shift to a "mad expansive style of free-for-all."
- Williams, who is moving to the Dolphins after the tournament, will face his future club head coach Kristian Woolf and halves partner Isaiya Katoa in the Tonga lineup.
- England's women open their tournament against Wales directly before the men's match, with captain Jodie Cunningham starting on the bench in her fourth World Cup; Wales have added ex-England forward Paige Travis and NRL half-back Tayla Preston.
Why it matters: A loss to Tonga in Perth would leave England fighting for one of two semi-final spots from a combined six-team table that also includes Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand. Williams' audition against his future Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf adds personal stakes, while Brian McDermott's promised tactical shift faces its first real test against a stacked NRL-calibre Tonga side.
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