England Secure Test Series Win Over TongaWhile Engand won the first of the three test match series against Tonga last week, it was for from a simple victory and Shaun Wane knew that his side would need to be on top form again to avoid the tourists levelling the series in the afternoons game at the John Smiths Stadium in Huddersfield.England went in to battle with Jack Welsby wearing the captain’s armband but with enforced changes with Saints duo Morgan Knowles and Tommy Makinson being ruled out through injury to be replaced in the squad by Warrington’s Ben Currie and Matty Ashton.England were slight favourites for the win and were handicapped by four points on the coupon, the winning margin in the first test, but Tonga would need to dig deep to take the series on to a decider in Leeds next weekend.READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

England Secure Test Series Win Over TongaWhile Engand won the first of the three test match series against Tonga last week, it was for from a simple victory and Shaun Wane knew that his side would need to be on top form again to avoid the tourists levelling the series in the afternoons game at the John Smiths Stadium in Huddersfield.England went in to battle with Jack Welsby wearing the captain’s armband but with enforced changes with Saints duo Morgan Knowles and Tommy Makinson being ruled out through injury to be replaced in the squad by Warrington’s Ben Currie and Matty Ashton.England were slight favourites for the win and were handicapped by four points on the coupon, the winning margin in the first test, but Tonga would need to dig deep to take the series on to a decider in Leeds next weekend.READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

A scrappy game but happy with the win. Time for Faz to retire from the international scene. Disappointed with the disrespect shown by Wayne Bennett in the past but absolutely staggered Shaun Wane has followed suit.

Agree, bizarre.

What a waste of a sub and lack of respect shown towards Farrell. He treated him like a competition winner by putting him on with so little time left.

He’s spending too much time trying to get as much airtime as possible to slag Woolf off.

Thought it was one of the most uninspiring experiences watching RL I can remember. Horrible game, horrible spectacle, horrible weather.

The comments from Wane were ridiculous and in all honesty the formulaic style of play was a reminder why Wigan fans were ready for a change after 2018.

Really wish England could get involved in a Nations series with Australia and New Zealand.

It was about as good as could have been expected in those conditions. But we have managed to win a series comfortably against a team many of our own fans thought we wouldn't have a chance against, and we managed to do it without the likes of Young, Farnworth, Williams and Thompson

It just makes me think even more that we desperately need a Test series against Australia.

Don't get me wrong, the emergence of the South Seas nations as major competitors in the sport is very encouraging, but all those years ago, when we casually consigned the GB v Aus Test series to history, we really didn't understand what we were doing. Those fixtures were unmatched for passion and excitement. The Aussie tours of GB were an amazing experience. I remember walking down to Central Park for Test matches, and the atmosphere was electric, with cars backed all the way up to the motorway. It was the pinnacle of our international experience.

And now it's gone. Frittered away. It's talked off as if it was something quaint, which could only happen in an earlier era.

Needless to say, Union made no such error. They don't have a domestic game worth a dime, but their international contests are worth millions. No wonder they keep hammering them out.

I know there are forces beyond the British game's control here. Not least, the Aussies' ongoing intransigent disinterest in the RL futures of rival countries, but I still can't understand how we let these fixtures go. Games against Tonga and Samoa, and even New Zealand, can sometimes rise to the occasion, but it was GB v Aus that used to fill our stadia to the rafters. It also, in those games when we ran them close, gave us some truly exhilarating RL action.

I don't think it would be true to say there was much of that on show today.

Honestly, I sound like a broken record but I'm glad we only have to listen to Wane three or four times a year max. Can anyone pick out the common theme in his post match comments,?



I said it last week, but it really does reinforce how good we've got it with Peet. Not a chance in hell we'd hear Peet talking about himself. I doubt Peet would even mention what Tonga had been talking about the noise from the Tonga camp either.

I don't want to even get started on his selections either. He's obviously a director at Wigan, but since he's been the England coach it's almost like he's determined to p1ss off as many Wigan players as possible - Faz, Marshall, Smithies, Dupree have all got reasons to be annoyed. He picked Snyed (f-ing Snyed over Smith last year too). I really hope he's nowhere near anything to do with contact extensions. Imagine the convo with Marshall i.e we really like and rate you Liam, just not enough to pick you for England tho. Anyway fancy signing this new deal.

Conditions were diabolical for good RL today tbf and England handled them defensively really well.
Also, I don't know if I'm misunderstanding you on your point about the Ashes, but we've got an Ashes tour to look forward to in 2025, haven't we? it may not be GB but imo It'll still be good to have a crack at them. The World Cup is the year after, then after that New Zealand and the Kangaroos will head over here to play England in 2027 and 2028.
Anyway, playing Tonga beats playing France any day of the week.

I’m happy with how the team has gone tbh and I’ve enjoyed watching us. It’s been played in tough conditions and international rugby league (against sides of similar abilities) is rarely free flowing. The performances Lewis and Smith have put in has been a highlight.

My issue with how Faz was treated today sits aside from that. I thought it was disgraceful. Wayne Bennett treated him disgracefully as well but he was a bit ignorant to Superleague in general. He was that ignorant he even treated the great James Roby like he was a park player but to see Shaun Wane going down the same route has absolutely knocked me for six. I thought Faz would be the first name on his sheet and rightfully so. I didn’t know Whitehead was on the field today. Faz always has been and always will be a better player than Whitehead or Bateman. It’s why he’s been in the dream team 6 times. It’s time for him to walk away and give 2 fingers to them.

If I'd have been Farrell today and been told with 3mins left or whatever it was you're going on I'd have spent that time tying my laces and told Wane where to go at the end of it

I thought it was more embarrassing for him to be brought on. Faz has too much class to kick up a fuss but if I were him I’d walk now and leave them to it.

Waney said that he apologised to Faz. What a sore looser Wolf is! They have been beaten by a better team two weeks running.

Very disappointed with Wane, apology or not. Absolutely inexcusable in my opinion. I'm not sure how this is going to sit well within the Wigan club. Disrespectful in the extreme.

Sore loser? I suggest you read his comments back again from yesterday. Admitted England were much the better side and maturely refused to be drawn into Wane’s obsession with him with his childish comments.

After the first game he said the ruck was slow- a comment lots of SL coaches have made at various times. He also said the pitch was poor- it was.

At no point has he accused England of anything disrespectful and yet he easily could’ve made a point of Wane’s programme notes from the first game.

To describe a coach as “done ok” after winning x3 GF’s in a row, a CC and a LLS was pathetic.

There’s only one coach looking like an idiot at the end of this series regardless of results and it’s not Woolf.

It comes to something when Wigan fans are disappointed in him.