McDermott blames Rugby League World Cup format as England face exit

The Guardian Sport · 10/22/2026, 12:41:38 PM

Big wins and help from Tonga needed to reach semi-finals ‘You’ve got to hit the ground running, which we didn’t do’ Brian McDermott has conceded England’s hopes of reaching the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals may already be over, the head coach blaming the tournament’s format and their opening loss to Tonga . The World Cup has been reduced to 10 teams, down from 16 four years ago. That is largely due to financial reasons when the hosts, Australia, stepped in after France’s withdrawal. That has led to a unique format, with different levels of jeopardy for different countries based on their group. Continue reading...