{
  "id": 15191834,
  "title": "England stunned by Tonga in World Cup opener",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/england-stunned-by-tonga-in-world-cup-opener-15191834",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-17T12:13:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/england-stunned-tonga-world-cup-110409034.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Four years prior, England experienced a shocking defeat to Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals. This time in 2026, Tonga, another Pacific island nation, managed to defeat England in their World Cup opener, potentially jeopardizing England's Australian campaign. Tonga's victory was a result of their classy attacking play, robust defense, and a sprinkle of luck, all while being supported by an intensely supportive crowd in Perth. England, ranked third in the world, was expected to secure a victory over Tonga, who were ranked fifth. However, England's campaign took an unexpected turn due to a series of mistakes, wastefulness, and questionable refereeing decisions. A crucial moment occurred on the 22nd minute when England reached near the opposite line, but a knock-on by England's Victor Radley resulted in a turnover, leading to a Tongan score two minutes later. Stefano Utoikamanu broke through after Isaiya Katoa's exceptional inside pass navigated George Williams and Kai Pearce-Paul, delighting the Tongan supporters in Perth. England appeared as if the world was against them, as referee decisions, such as penalizing Harry Smith for obstruction and Herbie Farnworth for a sloppy penalty, further compounded their struggles. England managed to recover slightly to score a try from full-back AJ Brimson after a spectacular run by Young, followed by two penalties given to England due to debatable calls. Katoa converted both penalties, and Haumole Olakau atu scored a try after a poorly executed grubber kick by Tonga. Despite England's efforts to regain momentum, Tonga's resilience and a sequence of tries, including a fourth one from Katoa, sealed the victory. The other men's match in Group B-C saw co-hosts Papua New Guinea emerge victorious over Lebanon with a score of 42-18.",
  "summary": "England 's men fall to defeat in their Rugby League World Cup opener as Tonga take their chances in Perth.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Province",
        "title": "Canada defeats England in epic women’s rugby win, built on years of work",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/canada-defeats-england-in-epic-womens-rugby-win-built-on-years-of-work",
        "published": "2026-10-17T04:02:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport",
        "title": "England's 41-match unbeaten run ended by Canada",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/englands-41-match-unbeaten-run-ended-by-canada",
        "published": "2026-10-17T05:46:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "England's 41-match unbeaten run ended by Canada",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/englands-41-match-unbeaten-run-ended-by-canada-15133094",
        "published": "2026-10-17T05:46:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Rugby World",
        "title": "How to watch England v Tonga: Live stream the Men’s Rugby League World Cup Pool B encounter",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/how-to-watch-england-v-tonga-live-stream-the-mens-rugby-league-world",
        "published": "2026-10-17T06:00:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBC News",
        "title": "It's over: Canada ends England's 41-match unbeaten streak in women's rugby",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/its-over-canada-ends-englands-41-match-unbeaten-streak-in-womens-rugby",
        "published": "2026-10-17T11:22:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka build up to World Cup with tri-series",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/england-pakistan-and-sri-lanka-build-up-to-world-cup-with-tri-series",
        "published": "2026-10-17T12:27:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Recorder",
        "title": "Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka build up to World Cup with tri-series",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/pakistan-england-and-sri-lanka-build-up-to-world-cup-with-tri-series",
        "published": "2026-10-17T12:45:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}