England lost their 2026 Rugby League World Cup opener 30-12 to Tonga in Perth, leaving them needing to win their next two games, coach Brian McDermott said.
England had chances to take control and were arguably the stronger side early in each half. Instead, handling mistakes, risky offloads and penalties helped Tonga seize the momentum. Haumole Olakau'atu scored Tonga's fourth try.
McDermott said the errors could be corrected, though he did not describe the task as easy. He saw positives in England's performance and said losing possession was among the problems they must address. It was his first match in charge since succeeding Shaun Wane, following his appointment in April.
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