England will face France on Saturday at the University of Bolton Stadium in the second group game of the Rugby League World Cup. Here is a closer look at Saturday’s match.
Shaun Wane’s England side will head into Saturday in confident fashion after getting off to an impressive start. England were seen as the underdogs by many going into the opening match against Samoa.
England took the lead through a Tommy Makinson penalty, which was followed soon after by a try from his St Helens teammate, Jack Welsby.
Dom Young added back-to-back tries to put England in a strong position. Samoa struck back before the break with the teams heading into the break at 18-6 to the hosts.
Wane’s side that produced a devastating second half, which saw them on the front foot throughout and scored another seven tries. Experienced players; Kallum Watkins, George Williams, Tommy Makinson and Tom Burgess all scored tries. Meanwhile second rower Elliott Whitehead completed a quick brace. The other try came through uncapped centre Herbie Farnworth.
After the match, Wane told the media that it would be a changed side which will face France and that is seen to be true from his squad selection.
Tommy Makinson, Mike Cooper, Morgan Knowles, Mike McMeeken and Matty Lees all featured against Samoa; however, they have not been included in the 19-player squad.
John Bateman is included in the squad after he has served his three-match ban.
Hull KR winger, Ryan Hall, is expected to replace Makinson on the wing.
Uncapped Joe Batchelor and Andy Ackers are both named in the squad after missing out last week.
Miko?aj Oledzki could receive his second cap after making his debut against France at the end of last year.
Half-back Marc Sneyd and second rower Kai Pearce-Paul both will be looking for their first caps, after missing out on the final 17 last week, despite being named in the 19-player squad.
France will be looking to go two from two on Saturday, after they defeated Greece in Doncaster on Monday evening.
Les Blues never looked in danger and took a commanding 20-0 lead into the break.
Jordan Dezaria, Tony Gigot and Benjamin Jullien with the tries for France, as well as four goals from Arthur Mourgue.
Greece scored two second half tries, but it was not another to trouble France, who added their own through Mourgue and a second from Jullien.
When they face England on Saturday, France will be searching for their first victory over England since 1981 when they came out on top 5-1 in Leeds. Since that meeting, England have won all of the previous 20 matches.
The French side is made up of many Catalans Dragons players, who have shown in recent seasons that they are a strong side and will not be taken lightly.
A victory for either side will put them in a strong position to progress through to the Rugby League World Cup Quarter Finals.
England 19 Player Squad:
Sam Tomkins, Kallum Watkins, Herbie Farnworth, Ryan Hall, Jack Welsby, George Williams, Tom Burgess, Michael McIlorum, Luke Thompson, Elliott Whitehead, John Bateman, Victor Radley, Dom Young, Chris Hill, Andy Ackers, Marc Sneyd, Joe Batchelor, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kai Pearce-Paul
France 19 Player Squad:
Morgan Escaré, Arthur Romano, Samisoni Langi, Matthieu Laguerre, Fouad Yaha, Arthur Mourgue, Tony Gigot, Jordan Dezaria, Alrix Da Costa, Lambert Belmas, Benjamin Jullien, Paul Séguier, Benjamin Garcia (c), Eloi Pélissier, Justin Sangaré, Gadwin Springer, Mickael Goudemand, Corentin Le Cam, Cesar Rougé.
