Williams Says England Will Wear Underdog Tag Against Tonga in Perth Opener

George Williams has no interest in pretending otherwise. Ahead of the England vs Tonga World Cup opener in Perth on Saturday, the England captain says his side will carry the underdog tag — and wear it willingly.

Tonga, he points out, are stacked with world-class NRL players and have been for years. England know what awaits them at HBF Park.

Respect for Tonga’s NRL quality

Williams was direct in his assessment of the opposition. Tonga are a stacked team, he said, and have been for years. England will be underdogs, and they like that tag.

His respect is not casual. Williams knows the Tonga players’ strengths, and he expects the match to start physically. England will not play a mad expansive style, he said, but they will add new elements to their game.

The conditions will be far removed from a cold Leeds evening. Humidity inside HBF Park is expected above 60%, and Williams acknowledged that heat and conditions in Australia differ from England. England, he noted, benefit when Tonga play in cold Leeds conditions. Perth will offer no such comfort.

Team news: Smithies out, Thompson in

England’s preparations have been adjusted by the loss of Morgan Smithies, who withdrew from the squad through injury. Luke Thompson replaces Morgan Knowles in the starting line-up. The nature of Smithies’ injury has not been detailed.

The squad, according to Williams, mixes youth, heritage players and older players. He said the group is fully prepared and ready.

A different attacking approach under McDermott

Brian McDermott, appointed in April on a deal to the end of the World Cup, has replaced Shaun Wane as head coach. England have promised a different attacking approach under him.

Williams described McDermott’s approach as different and enjoyable, and said the group has bought into his plans. The captain’s own recent international experience includes captaining England in a 3-0 Ashes loss in 2025.

Past hurt as motivation

England’s World Cup record is a story of near misses. They lost the 2017 final 6-0 to Australia, having beaten Tonga in the semi-final in Auckland. In 2022, they lost a semi-final to Samoa in golden-point extra time — a defeat Williams called among the hardest of his career.

He said past losses do not hinder the group, and that past hurt provides drive and motivation. Williams was in England’s previous two World Cup squads.

Saturday’s match also carries personal subplots. Williams is set to join the Dolphins, meaning he will face future club coach Kristian Woolf, now in charge of Tonga, and future halves partner Isaiya Katoa, Tonga’s half-back.

Group format and semi-final path

The men’s tournament runs from 15 October to 15 November, hosted by Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Australia and New Zealand are expected to advance from Pool A. England are likely to compete with Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea for two semi-final spots, with Pools B and C combined into one six-team table.

England women open against Wales

Before the men’s match, England women face Wales in Perth at 07:35 BST. England, ranked third in the world, beat Wales 62-0 in August 2025 and 82-0 at Headingley in 2024.

Jodie Cunningham, the England captain who plays for St Helens, is named on the bench and is set for her fourth World Cup appearance. She said she knows the strengths of Paige Travis and Dani McGifford, and that England’s combinations are coming together. England, she added, are excited and ready.

Wales are making their World Cup debut and have been strengthened by Paige Travis, who switched allegiance from England, and half-back Tayla Preston, who plays for Canterbury Bulldogs. England are coached by Stuart Barrow.