England kept their Rugby League World Cup hopes alive with a commanding 74-6 victory over France in Perth on Wednesday, delivering a record win against their cross-Channel rivals. The result was crucial as England seeks to reach the semi-finals for the first time in the tournament’s 72-year history.

The margin of victory underscored the challenge facing England after Samoa’s earlier 64-6 win over Papua New Guinea. Samoa now holds a points difference of plus-132, while England’s stands at plus-64. In order to advance, England must defeat Papua New Guinea by a substantial margin in their upcoming match on Friday and then rely on Tonga to defeat Samoa two days later.

Wayne McDermott, who is in his second game as head coach, described the victory as “enormous” given the context. He emphasized the importance of winning by a significant margin to keep qualification hopes alive, noting that his team maintained focus on the task without becoming preoccupied with chasing points.

England demonstrated marked improvement under McDermott, despite only five field sessions together. The team’s offensive surge came late in the first half, where they scored six tries in the final 17 minutes before halftime, setting the tone for the remainder of the match.

Dom Young and Herbie Farnworth both recorded hat-tricks, while AJ Brimson delivered an outstanding performance. Brimson, who made five line-breaks, seven tackle-breaks, and provided three try assists, capped his display with a try late in the game and earned the player-of-the-match accolade. His performance has strengthened his claim for the full-back position.

Brimson acknowledged the difficult start, describing the first 20 minutes as a “grind,” but praised the team’s composure throughout the match. McDermott stressed the importance of finishing strong in their next game against Papua New Guinea, stating that while elimination would be disappointing, the team has done all it can at this stage.

The match was part of a double-header at HBF Park, which also featured the England women’s team. However, the women suffered a heavy 78-0 defeat to Australia. Despite the loss, the women’s side remains in contention for the semi-finals with a win over Samoa on Friday.