England vs Samoa: Rugby League World Cup live scores, blog

The 2022 Rugby League World Cup finally kicks off this morning, with hosts England taking on Samoa. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 12:30am (AEDT).

For a while, it looked like the World Cup might not happen, and in a world still dealing with the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic a series of rugby league matches wasn’t a priority. But here we are – the rugby league world is reunited after three years where the international game was mostly an afterthought.

The clash between England and Samoa is the key fixture in Group A. Barring a sudden revival from France or, frankly, a miracle from Greece, both England and Samoa will progress to the quarter finals.

Whatever happens here, these two teams will meet again should they both progress as far as the semi-finals. This game is all about how they might get there.

The winner likely books a quarter final against Papua New Guinea, while the loser will likely meet a formidable Tongan outfit at the same stage. Either way, Tonga will probably stand in the way of World Cup glory, but I’d rather face them in a semi-final when the pressure is more acute, the expectation greater and the potential for a slip-up higher.

In team news, Newcastle winger Dom Young is set to start for England with St Helens young gun Jack Welsby likely to start alongside George Williams in the halves. Back rower John Bateman is suspended with Catalans’ Mike McMeeken likely to start in the second row.

Anthony Milford and Danny Levi will start alongside Jarome Luai and Joseph Suaalii in the Samoa spine. Winger Taylan May is a notable omission, with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow a chance to start on the wing in his stead.

Prediction

Samoa deservedly start as favourites, with a middle forward rotation the envy of most other nations and an array of stars on the edges and the flanks. The question is: how will it all knit together? While Samoa have some quality in the spine through Jarome Luai and Joseph Suaalii, they lack an elite organising half and dummy half.

England have loads of experience and some established club combinations in key positions, along with current and former NRL stars in Tom Burgess, Victor Radley, Herbie Farnworth and Dom Young. They should be motivated by the prospect of a home World Cup and a big home crowd. They’re a chance.

Even so, whatever Samoa might lack in terms of cohesion, they’ll make up for with brute force, and it’s hard to imagine England coping with the size, physicality and intensity of Samoa’s forwards or the quality of their back five for 80 minutes.

Samoa by 12.

Game information

Kick-off: 12:30am (AEDT)
Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle
TV: Fox League (502)
Live stream: Foxtel Now, Kayo Sports
Odds: England $2.28, Samoa $1.63 – odds via PlayUp

Teams

England

1. Sam Tomkins, 2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Kallum Watkins, 4. Herbie Farnworth, 6. Jack Welsby, 7. George Williams 8. Tom Burgess, 9. Michael McIlorum, 10. Luke Thompson, 11. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Victor Radley

Interchange: 14. Dom Young, 15. Morgan Knowles, 16. Matty Lees, 17. Mike Cooper

Reserves: 18. Chris Hill, 20. Mike McMeeken, 21. Marc Sneyd, 24. Kai Pearce-Paul

Samoa

1. Joseph Suaalii, 4. Stephen Crichton, 5. Brian To’o, 6. Jarome Luai, 7. Anthony Milford, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Junior Paulo, 12. Jayden Su’a, 13. Josh Aloiai

Interchange: 14. Tyrone May, 16. Spencer Leniu, 17. Martin Taupa’u, 18. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow

Reserves: 20. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 22. Kelma Tuilagi, 23. Oregon Kaufusi, 24. Braden Hamlin-Uele.