Brad O’Neill has dismissed the suggestion that England were underprepared for their Rugby League World Cup campaign as they bid to start salvaging it with an unchanged team against France this Saturday.
England are under pressure – and in huge danger of missing out on a semi-final spot – after losing last Saturday’s opening match 30-12 to Tonga, but head coach Brian McDermott has kept faith with the same 19-man squad.
McDermott’s side have had a tight turnaround for the tournament – the Tonga match was just 14 days after the 2026 Super League Grand Final, with England flying out to Australia 10 days before the game.
They did not play a warm-up match – and so went into the game having not played a single international fixture since losing to Australia in Headingley in November last year.
Defeat by Tonga came in McDermott’s first match in charge since being appointed in April, and O’Neill said they are “new team” and “those little things should come together”.
But when asked by BBC Sport if England were tired and underprepared for Tonga, the 2026 Super League Man of Steel said: “Not at all, we had a great week of prep heading into the tournament.
“The whole team felt really good physically, it was just a good game and the better team won.”
England men: AJ Brimson, Dom Young, Hugo Savala, Herbie Farnworth, Zach Eckersley, George Williams, Harry Smith, Max King, Brad O’Neill, Luke Thompson, Junior Nsemba, Kai Pearce-Paul, Victor Radley.
Interchange: Jez Litten, Ben Currie, Ethan Havard, Sam Walters, Jack Welsby, Matty Ashton.
Reserves: Kallum Watkins, Mikey Lewis, Ben Talty.
