England’s Rugby League World Cup campaign is effectively over following a 34-12 victory against Papua New Guinea on Friday, 30 October 2026. Despite the win, the team failed to secure the significant points margin required to realistically challenge for a semi-final spot. Brian McDermott’s side needed to overcome a 68-point swing against Samoa to qualify, but the 22-point margin of victory leaves them dependent on a highly improbable 46-point win by Tonga over Samoa on Sunday, 1 November 2026. England initially led 22-0 after 21 minutes, but a lack of fluidity and errors prevented them from maintaining the necessary scoring pace.
On the same day, England’s women’s team also exited the tournament after a 24-6 defeat to Samoa in a winner-takes-all match. This marks the first time the women’s side has failed to reach the final stages of a World Cup. Samoa dominated the match, with Freedom Crichton Ropati scoring a hat-trick. The result highlights a growing disparity between the northern and southern hemispheres in women’s rugby league, as England struggles to keep pace with the professionalization and talent growth seen in the NRLW.
