- Published
As Tonga's deliriously happy supporters celebrated in their thousands in Perth, England knew they only had themselves to blame.
asserted
they → publish → themselves
They had passed up plenty of chances to win their 2026 Rugby League World Cup opener and had arguably been the better side for the opening 20 minutes of both halves.
But a succession of mistakes - handling errors, needless offloads, sloppy penalties – allowed Tonga to control the momentum for much of the game.
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Tonga → pass → game
By the time Haumole Olakau'atu crashed over for Tonga's fourth try in their 30-12 victory, it was all over.
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it → crash → victory
Not so, insists coach Brian McDermott.
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McDermott → insist → ?
"It was a really good contest, when it wasn't it was down to us and the errors we made," he told his post-match media conference.
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he → make → conference
"We stood toe to toe for nearly all the game, but we made errors chasing the scoreboard.
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we → stand → scoreboard
I'm not going to say it's an easy fix, but it's something I can change.
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I → go → ?
"We know what is in front of us now.
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what → know → us
We have to win the next two games.
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We → have → games
I have seen enough to say we are heading in the right direction.
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we → see → direction
We were not strategically outdone.
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We → outdo → ?
There are tonnes of positives to take out of tonight, but one or two things we must get rid of, like losing possession."
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we → be → possession
'You cannot play with freedom at international level'
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You → play → level
Due to the vagaries of the international rugby league calendar, this was McDermott's first match in charge of England since being appointed in April as Shaun Wane's successor.
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this → appoint → successor
Wane had his critics, many of them justified, but he organised a defensively solid England team who whitewashed Tonga on their tour of Britain in 2023.
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who → have → 2023
He left in January after England were well beaten in last year's Ashes, and McDermott has had to piece together a team with minimal preparation.
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McDermott → leave → preparation
England did not play a single warm-up match; this was their first game since losing to Australia at Headingley in November 2025.
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this → play → November
They have not won a match since November 2024, against Samoa.
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They → win → Samoa
A much more assured Tonga side started the evening with a spine-tingling Sipi Tau battle dance and ended it with victory for the first time in seven meetings with England.
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side → start → England
Team selection and tactics are not, and that is where the former Leeds Rhinos coach will be questioned.
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coach → question → ?
"You cannot play with freedom at international level, you have to keep hold of the ball," McDermott said after the game.
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McDermott → play → game
His side looked nervous with ball in hand, too willing to pass up the chance to run at the Tongans and pass the buck.
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side → look → buck
As for selection, McDermott chose a central pairing of Harry Smith and captain George Williams.
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McDermott → choose → Smith
They were found wanting, with Williams enduring one of his poorest games in an England shirt.
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Williams → find → shirt
AJ Brimson was chosen ahead of Jack Welsby at full-back.
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Brimson → choose → back
Although Brimson scored England's first try, he was also caught out of position for Tonga's fourth.
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he → score → fourth
McDermott said he will "have a look" at options regarding selection.
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he → say → selection
Expect changes when the team to face France is named on Tuesday.
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team → expect → Tuesday
"You have to give Tonga credit for the scramble, but I reckon we left three or four [opportunities] out there early doors," said Williams.
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Williams → have → doors
"We lost our way, we were erratic, we must find that balance to improve the team.
"
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we → lose → team
We can't be kicking stones.
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We → kick → stones
We have a great group of lads, and one loss does not change how we think."
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we → have → lads
Can England still qualify for semi-finals?
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England → qualify → finals
But will one loss cost England a place in the semi-finals?
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loss → cost → finals
The complicated group phase makes that possible.
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that → make → ?
There are six nations in the combined Group B-C, but all the teams play just three opponents - think a scaled down version of the league phase in football's Champions League.
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teams → be → League
The top two in the overall table reach the semis.
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two → reach → semis
If sides are level on points, head-to-head is the first tiebreaker that will be considered, rather than points difference.
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that → consider → head
But because not everyone in the group plays each other, it may yet be that points difference becomes crucial.
uncertain
difference → play → other
England must win their next two games, against France next Saturday and Papua New Guinea on 30 October, to stand a realistic chance of progression.
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England → win → progression
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
