England must beat Samoa to reach the Women's Rugby League World Cup semi-finals

England need to beat Samoa on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Women's Rugby League World Cup. The game kicks off at 06:45 GMT at WIN Stadium in Wollongong, Australia, and England coach Stuart Barrow has called it "do or die", according to BBC Sport.

England have played two group games so far. They opened with a 70-6 win over Wales, then lost 78-0 to reigning champions Australia in Perth. That defeat leaves them needing to finish second in Group A to go through.

Barrow told a media conference that his squad knows it needs four points to reach the last four. A win would give England that total. Rugby league scores points for tries, goals and field goals, and a win in a group game is worth more than a draw, so a victory is the clearest route.

Samoa have their own point to prove. They beat Wales 76-0 in their opening match, and their squad is made up entirely of players from the NRLW, the women's competition run alongside the men's NRL in Australia. Many of those players compete in a semi-professional set-up, so the game will test England's depth against a side that plays together regularly at home.

England have made changes. Eva Hunter is out with a leg injury picked up against Australia. Hollie-Mae Dodd moves from prop, one of the big forwards in the front row, into the back row. Mary Coleman comes into the prop position. Captain Jodie Cunningham has overcome an ear injury to make the bench, a sign that England want their most experienced players ready to come on.

The stakes are simple, even if the path is not. England's last World Cup ended in a semi-final defeat by New Zealand in 2022, and they know how little room there is for error in a short tournament. Elsewhere, New Zealand beat France 92-0 in their own group match, underlining how far the top teams have pulled ahead of the rest.

For England, the task is to bring the energy of the Wales win to Wollongong and stay in the contest for the full 80 minutes. Friday's result will decide whether their World Cup goes on.