England linger in Australia after early Rugby League World Cup exit

England’s men remained in Australia after their early elimination from the Rugby League World Cup on Sunday, with players based in Wollongong and Sydney and some not due to return home until Friday, a week after their tournament ended.

England’s women left Australia the morning after their campaign was ended by Samoa, but the men moved to Sydney after watching their fate sealed during the Tonga v Samoa game; many have been staying overlooking Wollongong’s beaches, where the article notes the salty smell of seaweed drifting in with the mist off the bay.

The England men’s tournament was brief: most World Cups last five or six weeks for England, yet this campaign was over within 13 days for Brian McDermott’s side, and by the time the last players return home they will have been away a month.

Players who had family in town were able to start end-of-season holidays early, and some squad members made local outings during their time off — Wigan teammates Junior Nsemba and Zach Eckersley rode e-scooters on Cliff Road and walked North Beach, Matty Ashton sat in reception messaging home after spending 2019 with the Mullumbimby Giants, and hooker Jez Litten was seen pushing a pram past WIN Stadium with his family the morning after Papua New Guinea ended England’s hopes.

Rugby League Cares seconded Steve McCormack as wellbeing manager for the men’s and women’s teams and Francis Stephenson to the wheelchair team to support players and staff; McCormack, who has coached Scotland at three World Cups, insisted Brad O’Neill was put on the first available flight home because his partner is due to give birth and says he expects to be the last to leave.

Keith Senior, head of wellbeing programmes at Rugby League Cares and capped 43 times, addressed the strains of touring and team dynamics, saying: “When you’re away from home you miss your family and all the other different elements,” and adding of squad relationships: “We just stuck with who we knew. The media made it an angle, a reason why we were not playing well. We just hung about with people we knew and liked, who you spent six days a week with. There was no nastiness.”

McDermott described the group’s preparation and blend of playing backgrounds, saying: “It’s been hugely enjoyable working with a group of men completely focused. Everything is new. When the UK boys landed in Perth, we started talking like we didn’t know each other. I’ve only worked with a couple of players in the past and I’m new to all the staff.” He added: “The NRL players joining with the Super League players has been so easy. I thought it was something I was going to need to address, but some of the senior players have been great. We’ve made massive strides in a short period. There’s loads to be pleased with.”

A number of squad members had limited game time: Morgan Knowles played 52 minutes, Jack Welsby 19 minutes, Ben Currie 13 minutes; Ben Talty remained uncapped across the tournament while Kallum Watkins made his 15th World Cup appearance at his fourth event. Mikey Lewis, a substitute last Friday, came on for the final 22 minutes at hooker, juggled the ball down the touchline, and scored a consolation try after the hooter.

Some England players and staff are due to leave Australia across the week, and as reported several individuals will not arrive home until Friday, a week after their World Cup campaign ended.