Jon Wilkin has become the latest rugby league voice to slam the format of the World Cup with England now on the brink of a first-ever group stage exit.

Unless Tonga beat Samoa by 46 points or more, England will be flying home after a worst-ever World Cup performance despite only losing one game.

The competition’s format has been heavily critiqued and Wilkin is the latest in a long list of pundits to speak out against it, with England effectively left chasing points after defeat against Tonga in their first game.

Because teams in Pools B and C play across their pools and then form a combined six nation league table, England’s defeat to Tonga, who would have had a chance at redemption against Samoa who they play tomorrow, effectively ended England’s World Cup.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Wilkin has hit out at the format of the tournament that’s allowed such a scenario to happen, stating: “The actual competition structure is just diabolical. England were dealt an incredibly difficult task, because they essentially played their quarter-final in week one.

“England knew after their loss against Tonga that it was all going to be about points difference, and [qualifying] was going to be incredibly difficult.”

Jon Wilkin hits out at tournament format with England set for worst World Cup ever

Wilkin did admit that allowances can be made because the tournament was arranged at relatively short notice given the fact it was initially supposed to be France hosting before they encountered financial problems, though he still disagreed with the format.

He argued: “I think the International Rugby League, who set up this tournament, have done an incredible job to get it on and actually and get in a position where we can have the tournament.

“So, I commend them for that, but I just think the tournament structure is laughable. Like, no quarter-finals? There’s a number of ways you could have manufactured or engineered a quarter-finals situation.

“England should be in the quarter-finals, of the World Cup. They had a disappointing 30-40 minutes against Tonga, and they’re out.”

That defeat against Tonga in Perth came off the back of a ridiculous travel schedule that saw England fly into Sydney before then having to fly across Australia to Perth, something that happened as a result of the tournament organisers using Sydney as a central hub.

However, for Wilkin, it was just another example of the tournament and specifically England’s preparation being ‘laughable’, as he argued: “England knew the structure. England knew they needed to win the first game.

“How it is possible to fly your athletes out, economy class, to Singapore, to Sydney, then back to Perth, jet-lagged, and then expect to play against the NRL-standard Tonga team week one and produce a performance is laughable.

“It’s a laughable logistical mess that again isn’t elite. Nothing elite about it. In any other elite sport it’s like, ‘no stone unturned’, and I just don’t think England had that going into this World Cup.”

McDermott backed by Jon Wilkin

The former England international did back head coach Brian McDermott to carry on in his role though, asserting that the Gold Coast Titans assistant needs more time in the role.

He added: “I think McDermott is an exceptional coach. I’d give him more time, but there needs to be some management and structure behind him to those things right.

“You know, those things really matter, and a jet-lagged team going into play a Tongan team who are rife with stars was fundamentally where it went wrong.”

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