Williams says England will relish underdog tag against Tonga
England captain George Williams says his team will relish starting as underdogs against Tonga in their men's Rugby League World Cup opener in Perth on Saturday.
The game at HBF Park is England's first of the tournament. Tonga arrive with a squad packed with top-level talent. "Tonga are a stacked team. They have been for a few years now," Williams said. He added that England will be underdogs but will like that and will back their own game against a great team, according to BBC Sport.
The 31-year-old knows the weight of recent history. He was captain when England were beaten 3-0 at home by Australia in the Ashes in 2025. That series defeat cost Shaun Wane his job. Brian McDermott took over 12 months ago and Saturday will be his first match in charge, as reported by The Independent.
England have recent scars at World Cups too. They lost 6-0 to Australia in the 2017 final. Then they fell to Samoa in golden-point extra time — where the first score wins — in the 2022 semi-final.
Tonga are familiar foes. England edged them in a tense World Cup semi-final in Auckland in 2017. England then swept them 3-0 in a home Test series three years ago. A Test series, for newcomers, is a run of matches between the same two nations.
Preparation has been bumpy. Morgan Smithies has withdrawn from the squad through injury. Luke Thompson has come into the starting side as a late change for the absent Morgan Knowles. Late switches in the middle of the field matter because defensive timing and attacking combinations are so tight.
Conditions will test both teams. Humidity above 60% is expected inside HBF Park. That kind of sticky heat makes the ball harder to handle and saps energy fast. Completion rates — how often a team holds the ball for a full set of six tackles — often decide games like this.
Saturday in Perth is a double bill. England Women open their own World Cup campaign against Wales at 07:35 BST, directly before the men play. Williams described the tournament set-up as "mad", according to the Yorkshire Post.
For fans, this means a fresh start with an honest warning. England have a new coach, a painful Ashes to shake off and a first-up opponent few will pick them to beat. Williams is not hiding from that. He is leaning into it.
