McDermott Slams "Harsh" Rugby League World Cup Format as England's Exit Looms

Brian McDermott has launched a thinly veiled attack on the format of this year's Rugby League World Cup, calling it "harsh" as his England side face a near-impossible route to the semi-finals.

England were beaten 30-12 by Tonga in their tournament opener in Perth last weekend, and with only two nations from the combined six-team Pools B and C progressing to the last four, McDermott's men must now win big against France on Saturday and Papua New Guinea on October 30 — and hope other results fall their way.

"The jeopardy of losing one game in a pool of three is so harsh, it's almost like we don't get another chance to straighten things out," McDermott said. "There's still a slim chance that we get through, and that's something we're focusing on, and we're really determined."

England's task is made steeper by Samoa's 78-4 thrashing of France, which leaves Samoa's points difference 92 points better than England's in the combined table. McDermott contrasted England's position with New Zealand's, who also lost their opener to Australia but play in a conventional four-team Pool A with more margin for error.

This year's World Cup was reduced to just ten men's teams after France pulled out of hosting in 2023, forcing a late switch to Australia as co-hosts and a complicated cross-group format. If England fail to reach the top two of the combined Pools B and C, it will be the first time they have ever failed to reach at least the semi-finals of a World Cup.