Another England set, almost another England try. Again they ramp up the intensity down the middle, then going towards the left flank. But the ball is a touch too high for a leaping Ryan Hall. Close, but not close enough. Samoa survive.

England are made to work with ball in hand this time. Not like their first set...

They boot long, Samoa coming back like boomerang.

England's tagline is 'wall of white' - and that's what they are at the moment. 

Samoan half-back Anthony Milford has no other option but to send through a little grubber which he hopes will bounce favourably off the sticks. It doesn't and dribbles into touch.

Image source, Getty Images

Dave Woods
BBC Rugby League correspondent

This is a super start by England.

Only six minutes gone, but O'Loughlin has already shown his class with the pass for Hall's try. That's Hall's 34th try in 34 tests - what a record.

Good early kick out of dummy half by Josh Hodgson too.

Encouraging for England.

Let's see what Samoa have got then. They try to land some punches through the middle, but the England pack remains firm. 

A high kick asks the first question of the night to Stefan Ratchford... that's meat and drink for the Warrington man.

England go again from inside their own 10-metre line...

Ruan Sims
Australia rugby league player on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

That was absolutely beautiful work by England. How about that pass from the captain to Hall? 

Ruan Sims
Australia rugby league player on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

This is going to be a battle and an amazing game.

Samoa run the ball back with a couple of meaty runs, which are lapped up by the pro-Samoa crowd. But then they spill the ball in midfield and give England a free hit...

Stefan Ratchford has the honour of kicking us off. That he does, deep towards the Samoa right flank. Back it comes...

Eyes wild, tongues wagging, vocal cords stretched. Samoa lay down the challenge to the England players, who remain motionless - arm-in-arm about 20 yards away - staring down their opponents.

Anthems done. But there is one more important thing to see before kick-off...

The Samoan pre-match war cry. It is Siva Tau time...

Here we go. The two sets of players wander out of the Campbelltown Stadium, just outside of Sydney, to a cacophony of noise and more than a splash of colour.

But, unsurprisingly, there is not much English support...

Image source, PA

Castleford second row Mike McMeeken, who will win his first cap, said: 

"We’ve come here to do 80 minutes’ work, we’ve come here to do a job over Samoa.

"It’ll be a tough, physical 80 minutes as they are a big physical pack. We need to make sure we’re on for 80 minutes.

"Samoa are a big physical side. It will take a good performance from everyone to get over the top of them.

"It’s just basically everyone turning up and performing the way they have been to get into this squad. It’s going to be a tough game but one we are all looking forward to."

Dave Woods
BBC Rugby League correspondent

This is going to be a major test for England. It's a very good Samoa side they are up against, containing a lot of NRL know how and pedigree.

Wayne Bennett has cause a stir with his selection of Chris McQueen and Chris Heighington - the two Aussie-born players - on the bench. And by going with Zak Hardaker in the centres, rather than at full back, with Mark Percival missing out.

But if England come through this game with a win, or at least a solid performance, those selections will be justified.

In the meantime plenty of Super League coaches will be keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that a lot of their star players on show in Sydney today, can keep healthy ahead of key Challenge Cup games next weekend.

England: Ratchford (Warrington Wolves); McGillvary (Huddersfield Giants), Watkins (Leeds Rhinos), Hardaker (Castleford Tigers), Hall (Leeds Rhinos); Brown (Warrington Wolves), Gale (Castleford Tigers); S Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Hodgson (Canberra Raiders), Graham (Canterbury Bulldogs), McMeeken (Castleford Tigers), Whitehead (Canberra Raiders), O'Loughlin (Wigan Warriors, capt).

Replacements: Hill (Warrington Wolves), Heighington (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks), McQueen (Gold Coast Titans), T Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs).

Almost show-time. We've just had a quick glimpse inside the England dressing room, a few of the players are up on their feet and pacing about. 

Wayne Bennett stands in the middle, barking out a few final instructions. 

James Graham is sat down in a plastic white chair, slouching and looking rather calm. Almost like he is about to play a game of Fifa on the Xbox rather than a rugby league test.

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