England prop Luke Thompson expressed confidence in his team's prospects at the Rugby League World Cup despite their 30-12 opening defeat to Tonga on Saturday in Perth. The loss has placed England in a challenging position as they now face a tough path to advance to the semi-finals.

The result added weight to perceptions that international rugby league is increasingly dominated by Pacific Island nations, with Tonga’s victory highlighting the growing strength and depth of those teams. Tonga’s performance featured standout contributions from Isaiya Katoa, who orchestrated key plays including seven goal assists that set up tries by Stefano Utoikamanu and Haumole Olakau’atu’s two-try performance. Most of Tonga’s squad competes in the elite Australian NRL, a factor that some analysts say widened the class gap, as England’s players primarily come from the Super League, except for a few stars active in Australia.

Despite the decisive scoreline, Thompson suggested the match was closer than the scoreboard indicated. He noted that England competed strongly in the first half and created chances but were unable to convert them into points against Tonga’s resilient scramble defence. He also acknowledged that a few penalties and lapses in discipline during the second half contributed to the defeat but believed the team’s overall effort contained many positives.

England’s tries came from AJ Brimson and Dom Young, both of whom, along with playmaker Hugo Savala who assisted both tries, play club rugby in Australia. The team now shifts focus to their upcoming fixtures against France on Saturday and Papua New Guinea the following Friday. These matches are seen as critical opportunities for England to secure sufficient points and tries to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.

Head coach Brian McDermott had emphasized establishing a "point of difference" for the squad ahead of the tournament, a promise that was questioned following the loss. Thompson, however, remains optimistic about the team’s potential and morale. "We’ve just got to get our game on," he said, describing the squad as a "really great group" and affirming that England’s campaign is far from over.