Rugby League World Cup: England head coach Brian McDermot blasts 'harsh' format and explains Mikey Lewis absence

England head coach Brian McDermott has branded the format of the Rugby League World Cup as "harsh" with his side up against it to progress.

Last Saturday's loss to Tonga means England must hope Tonga beat Samoa in their final group game next week in order to stand any realistic chance of reaching the semi-finals.

That scenario would leave England and Samoa to be separated by points difference - a particularly tough ask for McDermott's men given the Samoans started their campaign with a crushing 78-4 win over France.

"The jeopardy is losing one game is so harsh, it's almost like we don't get another chance to straighten things out," said McDermott, whose side face the French in their second group game in Perth on Saturday.

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"There's still a slim chance that we get through, and that's something we're focusing on, and we're really determined. It's just harsh that we have to take a standing eight count in the first round."

This year's World Cup was reduced to 10 men's teams after France pulled out of hosting the event in 2023, resulting in a complicated, partial cross-group format which means one of the top five nations will be eliminated at the first stage.

In contrast, favourites Australia and New Zealand are effectively guaranteed to reach the last four after being placed in a conventional, four-team Group A alongside Fiji and the Cook Islands.

McDermott added: "New Zealand have lost their first game as well, but they're going to get another go at it and the likelihood is they'll qualify, so their destiny is not lying in other people's hands.

"That's not the position we find ourselves in. There's no frustration, all I'm recognising in that the jeopardy is really harsh. We knew that for us to go through, we had to go and beat Tonga."

'Lewis has shown humility in camp - we have considered changes'

In his squad to face France on Saturday, McDermott has stuck with the same 19-man group that were thrashed 30-12 by Tonga, with a late alteration seeing Matty Ashton start in place of Zach Eckersley on the wing.

There remains no place for Hull KR star Lewis, who is named a reserve and not in the starting team nor on the bench.

The 25-year-old, who won 2024's Man of Steel, has picked up eight caps so far in his career, but only started three of them.

"He [Lewis] is good, it was a frustrating end to the season for him, but he won a World Club Challenge at the start of the year," McDermott said.

"He's been great round the camp, he knows his role. He's shown a lot of humility in the camp, as have a few other players.

"He's been really good to work with.

"Mikey Lewis is a tremendous player and you've got to wonder whether he'd give us something that we haven't got.

"For sure, it has been considered [change at half-back], but I thought George (Williams) was good against Tonga.

"I think George has been unfairly assessed and I thought Harry Smith was really good. We were co-ordinated both in yardage attack and good ball attack.

"We got held up over the line four times in the game and there was a try-saver from Tonga holding up Herbie Farnworth."

England vs France - squad lists in full

England: AJ Brimson, Dom Young, Hugo Savala, Herbie Farnworth, Matty Ashton, 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, Zach Eckersley.

France: Arthur Mourgue, Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, Latrell Siegwalt, Roméo Tropis, Benjamin Laguerre, Thomas Lacans, Théo Fages, Romain Navarrete, Amir Bourouh, Julian Bousquet, Arthur Romano, Mathieu Jussaume, Benjamin Garcia (c).

Interchange: César Rougé, Lambert Belmas, Mathieu Cozza, Louis Grossemy.