5s and 6s all round in England player ratings from 34-12 World Cup win v Papua New Guinea

With the wind at their backs at Wollongong’s coastal WIN Stadium, they made a powerful start and went at a point per minute in the opening 22 of the final group game. It looked good for them at that stage, but the scoring dried up as errors crept in and they managed only two more tries, one of them on the final play of the match.

A 24-0 half-time lead would have been impressive in most circumstances, but left England needing 44 points in the second period to match Samoa’s for and against and give themselves a realistic chance of progressing to next weekend’s semi-finals

That task might have been possible if they’d played the way they did in the opening quarter, but PNG scored two converted tries in the first 11 minutes after the interval and were the better side throughout the final 40, despite a late flurry from England.

They now require Tonga to beat Samoa by 46 points on Sunday to remain in the tournament on for and against, which, realistically, isn’t going to happen. If Samoa win, Tonga will go through ahead of England because of their victory when the sides met in the opening round.

With England’s women having been eliminated by Samoa earlier in the day, the wheelchair side, who began their campaign with an emphatic win against Wales, now carry the hopes of a nation.

Knowing only a big victory would do, England showed their intent when they tapped a penalty in front of the posts inside the opening three minutes. Herbie Farnworth crossed in the resulting set, but referee Gerard Sutton ruled AJ Brimson had knocked on first from Junior Nsemba’s offload.

At the other end Dudley Dotoi was shoved into touch in-goal, though Josh Feledy’s pass was ruled forward. The action-packed start continued when Herbie Farnworth teed up Matty Ashton to open England’s account with a pacy finish. Hugo Savala converted from the touchline for the first of his four goals.

England’s second try came through Brimson after 12 minutes, from nice play by halves Harry Smith and George Williams. That duo combined again to create space on the right and Savala sent in Dom Young, who had earlier spilled the ball with a clear run to the line.

Moments later Smith played a one-two with Kai Pearce-Paul to cross for the fourth try and at that stage the scoreboard was matching the clock and anxiety levels must have been rising in the Samoan camp. However, England’s understandable but risky policy of chasing points backfired in the second quarter and for the rest of the tie.

Young and Sam Walters both spilled the ball close to the line and the only other points of the half came following the hooter when Savala took the two after Williams knocked-on, but Nene Macdonald was caught offside. A string of penalties gave PNG some momentum at the start of the second half and their two-try burst left England reeling.

First, Dotoi out-jumped Young from a kick by London Broncos’ Gairo Voro; then Voro burst past Williams and Pearce-Paul to cross. Captain Reece Martin, the former Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR second-rower, converted both and England’s hopes of overhauling Samoa were in tatters.

It could have been even worse, but Goro couldn’t hang on to possession with the line begging after pouncing on an England error and PNG fumbled the ball or were dragged down just short on several occasions.

They did manage a couple of late scores amid all the errors, through Morgan Knowles - who reacted quickly after a kick by Williams wasn’t dealt with - and Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis. He came on at hooker in the second half and sliced over for a well-taken score as the hooter sounded. Smith improved the first, but it was nowhere near enough.

England: Brimson, Young, Savala, Farnworth, Ashton, Williams, Smith, King, Litten, Thompson, Nsemba, Pearce-Paul, Knowles. Subs Lewis, Walters, Havard, O’Neill, Eckersley, Watkins.

Papua New Guinea: Laybutt, Derby, Feledy, Mathias, Dotoi, Voro, Biondi-Odo, Kapinias, Horne, Richard, Martin, Putt, Moretti. Subs Macdonald, Glare, Taulani, Wabo, John, Max.

Referee: Gerard Sutton (Australia).