England men win 34-12 but face first group-stage exit
The gist
England beat Papua New Guinea 34-12 in Wollongong but need Tonga to beat Samoa to survive.
England have never before missed the men's World Cup knockout stages.
How it unfolded
- Oct 15, 2026The men's tournament opened with Australia beating New Zealand 24-22 in Group A.
- Oct 17, 2026England lost their men's opener 30-12 to Tonga; England women beat Wales 70-6.
- Oct 24, 2026England beat France 82-0, the blueprint McDermott later urged his players to stick to.