England’s Rugby League World Cup challenge could well be over, just 80 minutes after it started.

Brian McDermott’s hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals were all but shattered in his side’s first pool match in a brutal encounter in which physicality and passion ultimately earned Tonga a historic victory.

England displayed huge attacking courage with their offload strategy – they made 26, easily a team record – but time and again their finishing touch belied the intent and it was not nearly enough to topple a ferocious opposition defence in Perth.

Despite excellent performances from captain George Williams and Dom Young, they were ultimately blown off the HBF Park.

On their seventh attempt, this was Tonga’s first win over England and, although this intense contest was, for so long, much closer than the scoreboard finally showed, there can be no doubting the excellence and pedigree of Kristian Woolf’s men.…