England exits Rugby League World Cup amid prep chaos — SkimNews
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- England men's team lost to Tonga and failed to score enough points against Papua New Guinea to advance, ending their World Cup campaign despite a 34-12 win, with elimination likely unless Tonga beats Samoa by more than 46 points.
- Brian McDermott took over as England men's head coach in April with just six months to prepare, conducted virtual meetings due to his role with Gold Coast Titans, and had only two full on-field sessions before the tournament due to a 48-hour travel ordeal for UK-based players.
- England women's team lost 24-6 to Samoa and were previously thrashed 78-0 by Australia, exiting the World Cup without reaching the semi-finals for the first time, breaking a long-standing streak of top-four finishes.
- Stuart Barrow cited lack of high-level competition and insufficient investment in the Women's Super League, noting that England's squad included 11 players aged 23 or under and that most have full-time jobs outside rugby.
- England's forward pack was severely weakened by injuries before the tournament, with Matty Lees, Mike McMeeken, Caleb Hamlin-Uele, Morgan Smithies, and Morgan Knowles all absent, limiting their physical competitiveness against teams like Tonga.
Why it matters: England’s dual exit ends a 70-year era of men’s semi-final consistency and a long-standing women’s top-four record, exposing structural gaps in player development, preparation time, and financial investment that now demand urgent reform to close the widening gap with southern hemisphere powerhouses.
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