{
  "id": 15706255,
  "title": "England unchanged to face France after Tonga defeat",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/england-unchanged-to-face-france-after-tonga-defeat",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-20T05:29:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Sport",
    "slug": "bbc-sport",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/cmd6d3gj2znxo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "England will field the same 19 players against France in their Rugby League World Cup match on Saturday, according to coach Brian McDermott. This decision comes after a 30-12 loss to Tonga in their opening game, which has put England's chances of advancing to the semi-finals in jeopardy. AJ Brimson remains at full-back, with Jack Welsby among the interchange players. McDermott has maintained confidence in his squad as they prepare for the Group B-C match in Perth, scheduled for 07:35 BST. The England roster includes players such as Dom Young, Hugo Savala, Herbie Farnworth, Zach Eckersley, George Williams, Harry Smith, Max King, Brad O'Neill, Luke Thompson, Junior Nsemba, and Kai Pearce-Paul, with interchanges comprising Jez Litten, Ben Currie, Ethan Havard, Sam Walters, Jack Welsby, and Matty Ashton. Reserves for the match include Kallum Watkins, Mikey Lewis, and Ben Talty. Luke Thompson will anchor the prop position, while Morgan Knowles remains sidelined due to an injury sustained before the Tonga game. Additionally, Mikey Lewis, initially considered a strong contender for one of the center positions, remains absent from the team. Harry Smith will partner England captain George Williams in the center, despite both players being overwhelmed by Tonga's performance in their previous match. England must secure victories against France and Papua New Guinea to have a realistic chance of reaching the semi-finals, and even then, a significant win margin may be necessary. The World Cup format means that England might not know their progression status until two days after the match, when Tonga faces Samoa in their final group game.",
  "summary": "England men's coach Brian McDermott names an unchanged 19-man squad for their Rugby League World Cup match against France in Perth on Saturday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}