Summary

  • FT: England 29-10 Lebanon

  • England - Tries: Watkins, McGillvary, Hall, Currie, Burgess Conversions: Widdop (4) Drop-goal: Widdop

  • Lebanon - Tries: Kassis, Wehbe Goals: Moses

  • England win first match at World Cup

  • Scotland hammered 76-4 earlier on Saturday

  1. Until next time...published at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Anyway, that is just about us done for today.

    England get their first win, but it was by no means as comprehensive as they were probably expecting against a resilient Lebanon side.

    We'll be back next Sunday to bring you coverage of England's final group game against France.

    Until then, why not enjoy the highlights from today's game....

  2. 'England need to improve against France'published at 11:41 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Brian Noble
    Ex-Great Britain coach on BBC Two

    They need a big improvement against France.

    I think they expected to put Lebanon away in second half but that's disrespectful to Lebanon.

    I think there's disappointment we didn't get more tries.

  3. 'England have to move on'published at 11:39 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Jonathan Davies
    Former Great Britain full-back on BBC One

    Looking at the performance, I'm not sure England got what they wanted out of it - they just have to move on to their next performance and go again next week.

    England should have scored 50 points.

  4. 'A decent foundation to improve'published at 11:37 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Kevin Sinfield
    Former England and Leeds captain on BBC Two

    I felt today we should not underestimate the emotional and physical fatigue from last week.

    I'm not making excuses. I think that was a decent foundation for England to improve and get better.

  5. 'England have to be more clinical'published at 11:33 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Jonathan Davies
    Former Great Britain full-back on BBC One

    If England are realistic about winning the tournament they have to be better in attack.

    They should have scored more tries against Lebanon. Australia and New Zealand would have done. There is a lot of improvement in their attacking game.

    The opportunities created were brilliant but they have to be more clinical.

  6. How will England cope next week?published at 11:30 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    Brian Noble
    Ex-Great Britain coach on BBC Two

    That is the nature of the challenge - the different types of weather.

    France and England have the same element of travel too.

    I think the harder and faster ground next week will suit England and they have a few bits and bobs to fix.

  7. Postpublished at 11:30 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    On to the next one then, when England face France in Perth a week on Sunday.

    The French have been beaten by both Lebanon and Australia in their opening two games.

  8. 'McGillvary's not that character'published at 11:28 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Kevin Sinfield
    Former England and Leeds captain on BBC Two

    There are two things I cannot understand - McGillvary has a gum-shield on and afterwards the two players, Farah and McGillvary were together.

    I think Farah's response if someone had bit him would have been significantly different.

    He is not that type of character. I don't think there is anything in it.

  9. 'I find it extraordinary'published at 11:26 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Jonathan Davies
    Former Great Britain full-back on BBC One

    I find it extraordinary.

    If someone puts their forearm or fingers in my mouth I am going to bite them. His mouth was closed.

    Farah was yapping all game and should have put his arm in his own mouth.

  10. 'Farah shoves his arm into his mouth'published at 11:25 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Robbie Hunter-Paul
    Former New Zealand international on BBC Two

    Jermaine McGillvary does not have a bad bone in his body. What you're getting there is him (Farah) shoving his arm into his mouth.

    I've seen bites before. He doesn't move to bite his arm. It may feel like a bite but I didn't see Jermaine bite him.

  11. Postpublished at 11:24 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Plenty of talk from the panel about whether it was or wasn't a bite from Jermaine McGillvary on Robbie Farah in the second half, they're of the opinion it wasn't...

  12. 'Bennett is honest'published at 11:21 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    The BBC panel have their say on Wayne Bennett's post-match interview:

    Jonathan Davies: "He's honest, not very talkative but honest."

    Robbie Hunter-Paul: "It's a sign that he is very frustrated with the performance. Maybe he expected something more."

    Kevin Sinfield: "I don't think he wants to give anything away. He will want to speak to his players before speaking to the public.

    "I think he will be quite animated in the dressing room and may rip into a couple of players. It will be constructive."

  13. Brevity from Bennettpublished at 11:20 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-6 Lebanon

    Here is the England coach, at his very succinct best.

    England coach Wayne Bennett asked what he thought about the performance: "Mixed, the win pleased me.

    "In the second half the defence was pretty good, but pretty ordinary with the football.

    "The forwards were good. I didn't think our kicking game was a problem.

    "I wanted to give George Williams a game so James Roby missed out, Jonny Lomax hurt his calf muscle and will probably miss next week.

    "Cannot blame the referee - there were marginal calls and a couple went against us."

  14. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    #bbcrl

    Bob Wilkinson: Totally disagree with Sir Kev... That wasn't building, it was a step back wards ... we drew the second half with Lebanon.

  15. 'Job done for England'published at 11:17 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Kevin Sinfield
    Former England and Leeds captain on BBC Two

    It's job done. We needed to win, could've been a banana skin. Defensively very good, kicked smart but lacked fluency.

    The game was very stop start whereas last week was flowing.

  16. Postpublished at 11:16 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    England coach Wayne Bennett isn't giving much away in his post-match interview...

    Full quotes coming up.

  17. The referee debatepublished at 11:14 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    Englishman Ben Thaler took charge of today's game, but should a referee from one of the country's playing be in charge of the match? Robbie Hunter-Paul and Jonathan Davies disagree...

    Robbie Hunter-Paul: "You are talking about pro refs. They are paid to do a job. They lose there identity in the game. when they They want the job in the final."

    Jonathan Davies: "If it is an England-Australia final I don't think there should be an England referee just to take them out of the limelight."

  18. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 11:12 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    #bbcrl

    Steve Dobson: Think the half back pairing of Williams and Widdop is better than Gale in there better end of set finishes

    Michael Morgan: Poor performance for me, wins a win but Walmsley changed the game when he came on. Thought Gale was poor

    Karl Stephenson: The pass from the floor from the hooker is too slow at the moment from

  19. Jason Wehbe scores Lebanon's second trypublished at 11:10 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    It was one try apiece in that second half, and here's Jason Wehbe's effort for Lebanon...

  20. 'A celebration of the game'published at 11:08 Greenwich Mean Time 4 November 2017

    England 29-10 Lebanon

    England prop James Graham: "We got the victory this week, which is important.

    "There were patches were I thought we were really good but we have got to give a lot of credit to Lebanon, I thought they did really well. It has got to be a celebration of where rugby league is going.

    "Josh Hodgson is an outstanding player and if we can generate a quick ruck for him he is very crafty out of dummy half."