England crush France 82-0 to keep Rugby League World Cup hopes alive

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England scored 14 tries to keep their hopes of reaching the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals alive with a crushing 82-0 win over France in Perth.

Needing to rack up the points after last week’s damaging loss to Tonga, Brian McDermott’s side did all they could with a clinical display at HBF Park.

England took command of the game with six tries in the latter stages of the first half, three of them scored by Herbie Farnworth.

Dom Young also finished with a hat-trick while full-back AJ Brimson capped a superb individual performance with the final try in the closing minutes.

Hugo Savala converted 13 of England’s tries in a fine display of goalkicking.

England knew ahead of the game their only realistic hope of progressing was to win by a huge margin, and follow up with a similar emphatic display against Papua New Guinea next time out.

Even then they will require a favour from Tonga against Samoa, who were impressive winners over PNG earlier in the day, to claim a top-two spot in the combined Pool B and C standings.

They were frustrated in that early search for points as France made a spirited start.

Matty Ashton did go close in the corner but the game remained scoreless until the 23rd minute.

The floodgates opened after George Williams broke through the line to send Young over for the opener, with two more tries following in the next three minutes.

Brimson set up Ashton for the second before a brilliant run by Harry Smith opened up the space for Farnworth to claim his first.

The Dolphins centre barged through for another from a Junior Nsemba offload and Williams increased the lead further when he raced clear from a Smith pass.

Farnworth made it 36-0 as he completed his treble before the break and the procession continued after the restart as Young finished in the corner from a Williams kick.

France began to capitulate and the tries became even easier for England.

Jez Litten and Williams pierced the defence to send Victor Radley over and the impressive Brimson burst through to set up tries for Litten and Mikey Lewis.

Young completed his hat-trick straight from the kick-off and Jack Welsby then crossed after more good work by Gold Coast back Brimson.

Lewis claimed his second after a French knock-on and then chipped forward for Smith to gather and put Brimson in to complete the rout.

Elsewhere, Samoa took another step towards the World Cup semi-finals as they thrashed Papua New Guinea 64-6 in Port Moresby.

The Samoans, runners-up in 2022, ran in 13 tries as they took their points tally after their opening two games of the tournament to 142 with just 10 conceded.

Papua New Guinea may have dreamed of an upset after replying to Sualauvi Faalogo’s opener through Bailey Biondi-Odo to lead 6-4 after 30 minutes, but Samoa hit back following the introduction of Parramatta forward Spencer Leniu.

Leniu touched down before a further Stephen Crichton effort gave Samoa a 14-6 lead at the break.

They then cut loose in the second period with Faalogo claiming his second try and both Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Shawn Blore scoring twice. Francis Manuleleua, Brian To’o, Ronald Volkman, Izack Tago and Ata Mariota were the other try-scorers.

The result put Samoa top of the combined Pool B and C standings with two wins from two and a formidable points difference, which could prove crucial if they finish level on points with England.

England conceded 14 tries as they were thrashed 78-0 by Australia in their second match of the Women’s World Cup in Perth.

Stuart Barrow’s side were emphatic 70-6 winners over Wales in their opening fixture but this was a different story as the Jillaroos went close to repeating their 90-4 annihilation of England in Las Vegas last year.

Jaime Chapman, Jocelyn Kelleher, Isabelle Kelly and Abbi Church all crossed twice for the Australians with further tries coming from Julia Robinson, Tarryn Aiken, Olivia Kernick, Quincy Dodd, Makenzie Weale, Tiana Penitani Gray and Shaylee Bent. Kelleher added nine goals for a personal haul of 26 points.

England face Samoa in their final match in Pool A on Friday.

PA