England 82 France 0

England needed something special to keep their Rugby League World Cup dreams alive and, oh là là, how they delivered a record 14-try demolition of France in Perth.

It was a record win against their cross-channel neighbours and in their quest to achieve an unlikely spot in their semi-finals was exactly what was required. Because of the opening defeat against Tonga , Brian McDermott’s men remain the underdogs to advance, but at the very least, this high-octane performance has made the final weekend of pool matches interesting.

Herbie Farnworth shares a moment with England fans following his hat-trick of tries against France

Credit : Getty Images/Paul Kane

With Samoa beating Papua New Guinea 64-6 earlier on Saturday, England’s task was put into stark and imposing focus. The Pacific Islanders have a points difference of plus-132. Courtesy of this mauling, England’s is plus-64.…