Shannon Meyer reviews the big England win in the Quarter Final against the PNG Kumuls.
SCOREBOARD
England 46
Tries: Tommy Makinson 5 (8, 17, 27, 57, 74) Tom Burgess 5 Dom Young 14 George Williams 20 Kallum Watkins 23
Goals: Tommy Makinson 5 (6, 18, 21, 24, 27)
PNG Kumuls 6
Tries: Jimmy Ngutlik 69
Goals: Rhyse Martin 1 (70′)
MATCH REPORT
Embed from Getty ImagesEngland have progressed into the semi-finals after thrashing the PNG Kumuls in an outstanding display on a wet Saturday in front of a full house in Wigan.
In a physical start to the game, England took just five minutes to turn that into points. After a knock on from Justin Olam from a grubber kick saw England get a full set 10 metres out, Tom Burgess crashed over from close range. Tommy Makinson made the easy conversion for a 6-0 lead.
England went further ahead when Makinson slid into score in the corner from a perfect grubber kick by Sam Tomkins. Makinson couldn’t convert.
Dom Young continued his try scoring form benefiting from second phase play after a short cross field kick from George Williams was batted back to John Bateman, who spun the ball to Watkins then onto the Knights winger.
Soon after England were in again when Williams kicked to the corner and Makinson fought his way over the line. He converted his own try to make it 20-0.
PNG couldn’t get their hands on the ball and surrendered once again after an initial break from Bateman, Tomkins and Kallum Watkins set up Williams to extend the lead to 26-0.
Watkins himself scored England’s sixth try following a break from Herbie Farnworth, and a brilliant, long cut out pass from Victor Radley. Makinson added the extras with England out to a 32-0 lead after 25 minutes.
A mistake by Alex Johnston was cleaned up by Makinson to complete his hat-trick and England by half-time led 38-0.
PNG held England scoreless after the break until Makinson was in for his fourth on the overlap to extend the lead beyond 40.
Finally, PNG got on the scoreboard with Jimmy Ngutlik sliding into score in the corner after chasing a perfect gruber from Johnston in a rare venture into England’s 20 metre zone.
But it was Makinson who scored his fifth, on the end of some crisp passing to the left, with Tomkins and Williams combining to set up the try.
England were great against PNG, giving them absolutely nothing. It was another performance like the one against Samoa in game one where the other big nations, Australia and New Zealand, should take notice. England can win this competition.
PNG were disappointing, but the first half was one way traffic as the Kumuls barely touched the ball from the 5th minute to the 30th. The Kumuls were much better in the second half, but still not great. Despite the massive disappointment, the game is another moment in their growth as an international team. PNG just need to learn how to get up for these big games, that will happen with more international football.
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