Jon Wilkin, speaking for Sky Sports, has labeled the Rugby League World Cup format as 'fundamentally flawed' after England faced the possibility of their first-ever group-stage exit in the tournament's history. Despite a 34-12 victory against Papua New Guinea on Friday, England needed to win by 68 points to have a chance at advancing over Samoa in Pool B and C.

Their hopes now hinge on Tonga, who must defeat Samoa by more than 46 points this Sunday to secure England's place in the knockout stages.

Wilkin criticized the new tournament structure, which reduced the number of teams from 16 to 10 after Australia stepped in as hosts following France's withdrawal. He stated, "Australia have done a great job... but it was fundamentally flawed, unfair in the extreme to the start." He highlighted that England faced an uphill battle, having played what was essentially their quarter-final in the opening week.

The tournament consists of two pools:

• Pool A: Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji
• Pool B and C: England, Tonga, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Lebanon, France

Wilkin pointed out that the competition structure lacks quarter-finals, calling it 'diabolical'. He commended the International Rugby League for organizing the event but criticized the logistics surrounding England's preparation, which involved a convoluted travel itinerary that left the team jet-lagged.

He expressed support for Brian McDermott to remain as head coach, while emphasizing the need for better management and structure around the team. Wilkin concluded, "A jet-lagged team... against a Tongan team rife with stars was fundamentally where it went wrong."