England's Rugby League World Cup campaign has faced a rocky start, as head coach Brian McDermott likens the team's travel ordeal to the classic film Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Following a 30-12 defeat to Tonga on Saturday, England's preparation has been severely hampered by a convoluted travel itinerary that took nearly 48 hours to reach their base in Perth.

McDermott expressed frustration over the lengthy journey, stating, "We were going around the world 15 times to arrive in Perth. We were [exhausted] for about three days afterwards." This travel fatigue led to a shortened training session on Monday, affecting the team's readiness for the tournament.

The International Rugby League organized the travel, which involved:

• A bus trip from northern England to London.
• A flight to Singapore instead of a direct route to Perth.
• An unexpected detour flying to Sydney before finally reaching Western Australia.

Despite showing some promise, England's performance suffered due to lack of preparation time, leading McDermott to wish for additional training and warm-up matches. With their hopes now precariously resting on upcoming matches against France and Papua New Guinea, England must secure victories and rely on favorable outcomes in other games to reach the semi-finals.

McDermott also acknowledged the challenges posed by the tournament's unusual format. While Pool A features four teams competing for two semi-final spots, Pools B and C combine into one six-team league, complicating England's path forward. He noted, "The jeopardy of losing one game is so harsh..."

As the tournament progresses, McDermott has named an unchanged 19-man squad for the game against France, with Matty Ashton starting in place of Zach Eckersley. Despite the travel issues and format challenges, the team remains determined to fight for their place in the tournament.