Tonga Stun England 30-12 in Rugby League World Cup Opener

Tonga recorded their first victory over England in history on Saturday, beating the host nation 30–12 in Perth to open the men’s Rugby League World Cup with a major upset.

Haumole Olakau’atu scored twice and Isaiya Katoa controlled the game as Tonga repelled wave after wave of England pressure before striking to turn a tight contest into a comfortable win in front of 18,302 fans at HBF Park.

A defensive foundation

England, under new coach Brian McDermott, dominated much of the first half but could not break through. Tonga held them scoreless in the opening 30 minutes, with Stefano Utoikamanu scoring at the other end and Katoa kicking two penalties for a 10–0 lead at the break.

England finally scored in the 46th minute when George Williams put Hugo Savala through a hole and full-back AJ Brimson finished, cutting the deficit to four. At that point England looked in control, but a penalty for a high shot on Tongan winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak swung the momentum.

Tonga capitalised immediately. Olakau’atu and Tolu Koula crossed in successive sets, and Katoa added a penalty to make it 24–6. Dom Young pulled one back for England, only for Olakau’atu to pounce on a Katoa grubber in the dying minutes and settle the result.

What it means

The win is Tonga’s first over England and helps avenge a two-point defeat in the 2017 World Cup semi-final. It leaves Kristian Woolf’s side in a strong position to reach the knockout stage and underlines the growing threat of the Pacific nations to the game’s traditional powers.

For England the loss is a serious blow. The team had not played a warm-up match and had not won a game since November 2024, with their previous outing a defeat by Australia in November 2025. Because head-to-head results are the primary tiebreaker, England must now beat France and Papua New Guinea and hope Tonga defeats Samoa when the two Pacific nations meet on November 1.

Katoa drew most of the praise. He created Utoikamanu’s try and kicked seven goals from nine attempts, proving the difference behind a powerful forward pack. Tonga also lost half-back Latu Fainu to a pectoral strain after 17 minutes, though early reports suggested the injury may not be serious.

England’s struggles under the high ball were a recurring theme, with Zach Eckersley repeatedly tested by Katoa’s kicking. England did enjoy plenty of possession and territory in the first half, and both George Williams and Hugo Savala were denied close to the try line, but they could not turn pressure into points until it was too late.

The result also continued Tonga’s rise as a force in the international game. The Pacific nation has produced a steady flow of top-level players in recent years, and the win over England showed that its forward pack can match the sport’s established powers.

Tonga began the evening with their Sipi Tau challenge and ended it celebrating a landmark result. McDermott struck a defiant tone afterwards, saying his side “stood toe to toe” for nearly the whole game and that the handling errors that cost them were fixable. England face France in Perth next Saturday.

Sources

Reports from the International Rugby League, the BBC, Sky Sports and the Associated Press (October 2026).