England boss McDermott urges patience in PNG points chase — SkimNews
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- Brian McDermott urged England not to panic as they chase a heavy win over Papua New Guinea in Wollongong on Friday (30 October, 09:05 GMT), saying the Kumuls would provide a stiffer test than the 82-0 rout of France last weekend.
- England need a 68-point points-difference swing over Samoa and Tonga to beat Samoa on Sunday to reach the Rugby League World Cup last four for the first time ever.
- Papua New Guinea held Samoa to just 14-6 at half-time last Saturday before collapsing to a 64-6 defeat, a second-half fade that underpins McDermott's warning about Friday.
- England were scoreless for the first 22 minutes against France before scoring 52 points in the second period to record their biggest-ever margin of victory, 82-0 — the blueprint McDermott wants to repeat against Papua New Guinea.
- Brad O'Neill, recently crowned Super League Man of Steel, was left among the interchanges with Jez Litten preferred at hooker and Matty Ashton retained on the left, while late call-up Kallum Watkins replaced Victor Radley and Jack Welsby.
- Morgan Knowles returns to the England lineup for the first time in the tournament on Friday after recovering from the calf injury that ruled him out of the 30-12 defeat by Tonga on 17 October; his third child was born on Wednesday.
- Vicky Whitfield called the women's 78-0 defeat by Australia the "best preparation" for their make-or-break Pool A game against Samoa at 06:45 GMT on Friday, with a fifth consecutive last-four appearance their goal and a first-ever final still outstanding after Great Britain's 2000 loss to New Zealand.
Why it matters: England's qualification equation is unforgiving enough to reshape selection: McDermott dropped Super League Man of Steel Brad O'Neill to the bench for gameplan fit, and the same equation requires Tonga to beat Samoa on Sunday plus a 68-point swing for a first-ever last-four berth.
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