World Cup strugglers accused of giving up in England flogging
France has been accused of giving up in its Rugby League World Cup loss after an 82-0 shellacking against England at HBF Park.
England went into the match with a 150-point gap between them and second place on the Group B/C table with Samoa and Tonga ahead of them.
Herbie Farnworth tries to beat the French defence. Getty Images
Despite a big win, The Three Lions still have plenty of points to shave off with a match against PNG next Friday. Tonga and Samoa will play on the Sunday.
A Herbie Farnworth first half hat-trick meant England went into the break leading 36-0 after tries to Dom Young, Matty Ashton and George Williams too.
After the break it was all one-way traffic again with Young starting the party before Victor Radley, Mikey Lewis, Jack Welsby and AJ Brimson all put themselves on the scoresheet.
Welsby’s try came in the 66th minute when England went down the short side off the third tackle with Brimson going through easily to make it 70-0.
“This is getting really, really ugly now,” Luke Keary said on Seven.
England great James Graham was critical of the French defence.
“You could accuse the French of waving the white flag, they look like they’ve given up,” he said.
Brimson was the man to finish the rout as England attempt to give themselves every chance to make finals.
Earlier, Samoa smashed PNG 64-6 with Chiefs’ signings Brian To’o and Jarome Luai playing in front of what will be their home fans in two years.
Sualauvi Fa’alogo, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Shawn Blore finished with doubles for Samoa while Bailey Biondi-Odo was the lone PNG tryscorer.
