England's men started their Rugby League World Cup campaign in Perth with a defeat against Tonga. The teams last met during a three-match series in 2023, which England won 3-0. During the opening match, Tonga capitalized on their chances in Perth to secure a victory.
Match Events and Reaction
Tonga established an early advantage during the contest. Tolutau Koula scored a try after Tui Lolohea delivered a kick inside England winger Dom Yong, who was unable to get back in time to prevent the grounding, pushing Tonga's lead to 16-6 following further penalties awarded to the side.
Following the result, Brian McDermott stated that he can address and fix the errors that contributed to England's defeat in their tournament opener.