Could Tonga and Samoa make history at the World Cup?

England were eliminated from the Rugby League World Cup after the influence of Tonga and Samoa. Tonga will face New Zealand in the semi-final. Samoa will play Australia in a rematch of the 2022 final. If Samoa win that match, the final will be played without Samoa for the first time since 1954.

In the most anticipated match of the group stage, Tonga beat Samoa 20-18, which sent both nations through to the semi-finals. The match between two countries that have stood out in rugby league over the last decade drew intense interest from the crowd and fans.

A change to the eligibility rules allowed a group of players born in Australia and New Zealand to choose Tonga or Samoa to represent their family heritage. This brought two new rivals into the path of the traditional big three: Australia, New Zealand and England.

Head coach Kristian Woolf and the efforts of players who have struggled for years played an important role in Tonga's current position. England, meanwhile, will review the tournament under Brian McDermott. It has been reported that McDermott wishes to stay in his role, but it has been emphasised that for England to return to prominence on the international stage, they need to invest more in their domestic club structure. McDermott was given only three weeks for this tournament.