#161: ENGLAND'S WORLD CUP DISASTER! What Went Wrong & Who Is To Blame?

In this week’s episode of the League Express Podcast, Editor Martyn Sadler and Host Jake Kearnan dissect England’s disappointing exit from the Rugby League World Cup, asking where it all went wrong and what needs to change if the national team is to compete with the best in the world.

With England failing to reach the semi-finals for the first time in their World Cup history, the pair discuss the independent review involving former greats Paul Sculthorpe, Adrian Morley and Gareth Ellis, and what questions need to be asked about the state of the English game.

Martyn and Jake also take aim at the tournament format, England’s extraordinary journey to Australia and the lack of preparation time afforded to Brian McDermott’s squad. Were England put at an unfair disadvantage before they even took to the field?

They also look back on the dramatic final round of group matches, including Lebanon’s remarkable victory over France in a controversial thriller and another historic encounter as Tonga defeated Samoa.

With the semi-finals now set, Martyn and Jake preview Australia v Samoa and New Zealand v Tonga, assessing the four remaining teams and predicting who will book their place in the World Cup final.

Finally, they discuss the latest developments in the Josh Addo-Carr false-positive drug test saga and what the situation means for the former Kangaroos winger.