McDermott: England Won't Chase Points After 30-12 Tonga Loss — SkimNews
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- England lost 30-12 to Tonga in their RLWC 2026 opener inside the merged Pools B and C, with a powerful Tongan pack and England's "too erratic" finishes at the end of sets proving decisive.
- Brian McDermott said his side's new style produced good territory and ball in the first 20 minutes but "scrappy" finishes cost them, crediting Tonga's try-saving tackles rather than calling for a change in approach.
- The RLWC's cross-pool format — Group B (England, Lebanon, Samoa) playing only Group C (France, Papua New Guinea, Tonga) — leaves England's semi-final progression technically out of their own hands after the opening defeat.
- England must post high scores against France and Papua New Guinea while hoping Tonga beat Samoa convincingly, so that qualification becomes a straight points-differential contest between England and Samoa.
- McDermott acknowledged the "irony" of having just urged his side not to chase scoreboards while now needing exactly that, calling it "tremendously disrespectful" to France or PNG to assume big wins before a plan is in place.
- Next fixture: England face France in Perth on Saturday October 24, with kickoff at 7.35am UK and Ireland time.
Why it matters: McDermott's stated refusal to chase points sits in direct tension with the RLWC's points-differential arithmetic — England can win both remaining fixtures and still miss the semi-finals if margins and results elsewhere don't fall right. Style and survival now point in opposite directions for the head coach.
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