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…