ENGLAND 34 PAPUA NEW GUINEA 12
STEPHEN IBBETSON, WIN Stadium, Wollongong, Friday

ENGLAND are praying for a miracle after failing to earn the kind of scoreline that would have given them a realistic shot at reaching the semi-finals.

Needing to win by a huge margin, England raced into a 22-point lead but then lost their composure in attack and, as the scoreboard pressure intensified, any control of the game at all.

Two second-half tries by Papua New Guinea – who also came in with a mathematical chance of progression – left them for a time clinging on simply for the victory, but it’s one that will surely be of little use.

They must now remain in Australia over the weekend and hope Tonga, whose opening win over the English proved decisive, can somehow beat rivals Samoa by more than 46 points on Sunday in Parramatta.

It had all started so well. While England took 23 minutes against France to register points, here they got stuck straight into their assignment with four tries in the same timeframe.

That was despite the first touchdown, from Herbie Farnworth, being ruled out for a knock-on by AJ Brimson of Junior Nsemba’s offload.

But Farnworth’s quick pass sent his winger Matty Ashton over in the sixth minute as England quickly found their groove with ball in hand.

The second try was also a good one, a shift from left to right which finished with Brimson surging through a passive Papua New Guinea defence.

More great ball movement over several plays ended with Hugo Savala giving Dom Young an easy finish in the corner.

Then a formidable set, rolling the Kumuls down the field with ease, culminated in Kai Pearce-Paul’s offload setting Harry Smith clear for that 22-0 lead with three of the four tries converted by Savala.

As well as showing attacking flair, England’s defence was strong in that period too, keeping PNG pinned in their own half.

But they had to keep getting the balance right in their points chase, which prop Max King perhaps failed to do with a poor offload attempt at the line which wasted one chance.

Young failed to convert another, despite a creditable effort to ground – ultimately short of the line – while surrounded by yellow shirts.

Sam Walters then failed to pouch a Morgan Knowles pass as he looked to charge between the posts.

Instead they were left settling for two added points on the hooter, Savala kicking a penalty given for offside, but at 24-0 there was a lot more work still to do in the second period.

And their task was an even more challenging one five minutes into the second half once Dudley Dotoi had risen above Young to take a Gairo Voro kick and managed to ground the ball under pressure.

Rhyse Martin, playing his final career game, kicked the conversion and his side were growing in confidence, helped by England errors.

A penalty and six-again invited a fresh wave of PNG pressure and Voro obliged, gliding through a gap on the edge between Pearce-Paul and Williams, with Martin goaling again to make it 24-12.

Voro then juggled and ultimately fumbled a breakaway chance, after Litten was dispossessed, which could have put the Kumuls closer to overhauling the deficit entirely.

More attacking sets followed as England struggled to regain any sort of grip on the game, with Dotoi held up over the line during one.

An opening finally came England’s way when Matty Ashton raced clear from deep, but an ankle tap from fullback Zac Laybutt took him to the floor.

Neither that break, nor the introduction of Mikey Lewis from the bench a few minutes earlier, did much to change the way the wind was blowing, and more scramble defence was required to prevent Josh Feledy dotting down.

And it was far too late when Knowles, making his first appearance of the World Cup after injury, finally ended the England try drought with eleven minutes to go, converted by Smith.

After a Farnworth charge was closed down, Lewis stepped his way around the Kumul defence on the hooter, but the maths are still very much not in their favour.

GAMESTAR: Gairo Voro inspired Papua New Guinea’s turnaround and gave England nightmares.

GAMEBREAKER: Two quick PNG tries early in the second half gave England no chance of achieving their task.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Kai Pearce-Paul’s offload assist for Harry Smith’s try – which was as good as it got for England.

MATCHFACTS

ENGLAND
1 AJ Brimson
2 Dom Young
3 Hugo Savala
4 Herbie Farnworth
5 Matty Ashton
6 George Williams
7 Harry Smith
8 Max King
9 Jez Litten
10 Luke Thompson
11 Junior Nsemba
12 Kai Pearce-Paul
13 Morgan Knowles
Subs
14 Mikey Lewis
15 Sam Walters
16 Ethan Havard
20 Brad O’Neill (not used)
21 Zach Eckersley (not used)
22 Kallum Watkins

Tries: Ashton (6), Brimson (12), Young (19), Smith (21), Knowles (69), Lewis (80)
Goals: Savala 4/5, Smith 1/2

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
1 Zac Laybutt
2 Robert Derby
3 Josh Feledy
16 Robert Mathias
5 Dudley Dotoi
6 Gairo Voro
7 Bailey Biondi-Odo
8 Epel Kapinias
13 Liam Horne
10 Luca Moretti
11 Rhyse Martin
12 Nixon Putt
18 Valentine Richard
Subs
4 Nene Macdonald
14 Finley Glare
15 Jacob Taulani
17 Sanny Wabo
19 Zev John (not used)
22 Alex Max (not used)

Tries: Dotoi (45), Voro (51)
Goals: Martin 2/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 22-0, 24-0; 24-6, 24-12, 30-12, 34-12

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
England: Kai Pearce-Paul; Papua New Guinea: Gairo Voro

Penalty count: 9-10
Half-time: 24-0
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Attendance: 15,063