England Beat Ireland 68-32 and Top Pool A — SkimNews
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- England beat Ireland 68-32 at Wollongong Entertainment Arena to top Pool A and reach the semi-finals, with Joe Coyd scoring four tries, Rob Hawkins three, Mason Billington and Lewis King two each, and Jack Brown one.
- Ireland led 14-0 and 20-4 during the first half, but England recovered to lead 22-20 by halftime and then scored 40 unanswered points after the break before Ireland crossed again.
- England finished the group stage with a 100% record after victories over Wales and the USA, setting up a last-four meeting with co-hosts Australia at 08:45 GMT on Tuesday.
- Lewis King said Ireland had produced England's biggest challenge of the tournament so far, praised the team for riding a wave of penalties and said he remained dissatisfied because their standards were higher.
Why it matters: England’s turnaround delivered first place in Pool A and a Tuesday semi-final against co-hosts Australia, while Ireland’s 14-0 start ended in a 36-point defeat. The reigning champions also completed the group stage with a 100% record after wins over Wales and the USA.
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