England suffered a 30-12 defeat against Tonga in their opening match of the Rugby League World Cup held in Perth. The result has prompted immediate concern regarding England's ability to advance past the group stages of the tournament.

While all outlets agree on the outcome, they differ in their assessment of the performance. BBC Sport framed the result as a "stunner," focusing on Tonga's ability to capitalize on their opportunities. Sky Sports characterized the match as a "thumping" and a "reality check" for the English side. The Guardian offered a more critical analysis, suggesting that despite England's attempts to implement a new, enterprising style of play, the team ultimately caused their own defeat through errors. The Guardian further noted that the loss puts England’s knockout stage aspirations in serious jeopardy.

There is a consensus that the loss was unexpected, though the outlets vary in how they describe the severity of the defeat. The match serves as a significant setback for England, who entered the tournament with stated intentions of challenging the world’s top-ranked nations.