Summary

  • England win 14-4 to take 2-0 lead in three-match series against Tonga

  • Matty Ashton scored two tries in first half for home side in Huddersfield

  • Final game of series takes place in Leeds on 4 November

  1. try

    TRY: England 12-0 Tongapublished at 15:15 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Mattty Ashton

    Matty Ashton has a second!

    Mikey Lewis sends a deft kick behind the Tonga defence and Will Hopoate is slow to cover.

    Ashton puts on the afterburners and comes out of nowhere to beat Hopoate to the ball and dot down.

    Two tries for the Warrington man and England in total control.

    Harry Smith misses from the tee so the lead stays at 12.

  2. Postpublished at 33 mins

    England 8-0 Tonga

    The closest Tonga have come!

    Isaiya Katoa is inches away from crossing the whitewash as he is pulled down short.

    They recycle it quickly but make a complete mess of an offload and England intercept and are attacking themselves now!

  3. Postpublished at 15:13 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    England 8-0 Tonga

    Brian Noble
    Former Great Britain coach on BBC One

    England and Tonga contest a high ballImage source, SWPIX.COM

    England have been the better team. They're doing the smaller things a little bit better and Tonga are handing in there in many respects.

  4. Postpublished at 32 mins

    England 8-0 Tonga

    A blow for Tonga as according to pitchside reporter Damian Johnson, Addin Fonua-Blake's game may be over.

    Possibly something to do with that earlier tackle he was on the end of.

    On the pitch, England try-scorer Matty Ashton is on the end of a big collision and loses possession.

    Tonga need to get something on the board before the break and they're building.

  5. Postpublished at 30 mins

    England 8-0 Tonga

    England celebrateImage source, SWPIX.COM

    So far so good for England after half an hour - they still lead thanks to that early score from Matty Ashton and two goals from Harry Smith.

    Moses Suli just, and I mean just, grabs Mikey Lewis as the Hull KR man looks to make a clean break.

    He was so close to getting away there!

  6. Postpublished at 15:06 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    England 8-0 Tonga

    Brian Noble
    Former Great Britain coach on BBC One

    They're just not putting sets together, Tonga, with the ball or without it. The odd win England get is getting them further down the field than Tonga.

    They're not in their rhythm yet, they don't look fluent.

  7. Penalty: England 8-0 Tongapublished at 25 mins

    Harry Smith

    A Tonga infringement gives Harry Smith the chance to knock over a penalty to extend England's lead to eight points.

  8. Postpublished at 24 mins

    England 6-0 Tonga

    A little glimpse of how dangerous Tolutau Koula can be.

    A hitch-kick and hand-off takes him through a gap but he spills the ball as he streaks away.

    Chance gone but a reminder to England they can't take their eyes off Koula for a moment this afternoon.

  9. Postpublished at 21 mins

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Big tackle!

    England sense an opening for a second but Mikey Lewis can't weave his magic on this occasion as he takes a big shot from Felise Kaufusi!

    A really dominant tackle which dislodged the ball.

    No way through there!

  10. Postpublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Steve Sutcliffe
    BBC Sport at John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield

    A little bit of afters over in the left corner, with John Bateman and Moses Suli involved.

    Something and nothing basically, albeit I'd imagine there could be a few tasty tackles off the back of that.

  11. Postpublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Brian Noble
    Former Great Britain coach on BBC One

    Great defence from England, everyone coming across on the inside so you know you've got your inside shoulder, it enables you to solve the problems.

    England tackle TongaImage source, SWPIX.COM
  12. Postpublished at 18 mins

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Close!

    Tonga string the passes together for the first time to make space for Tolutau Koula but it's good defence by England as they have it covered.

    As he is tackled into touch there is a bit of a dust-up as the teams introduce themselves to each other!

    After a bit of pushing and shoving, we're back in action with England in possession.

    It's heating up!

  13. Postpublished at 17 mins

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Tom Burgess doesn't wrap his arms in the tackle - it was more of a shoulder charge - on Addin Fonua-Blake.

    It's a penalty for Tonga - chance for them now...

  14. Postpublished at 15 mins

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Ooh close. A first opening for Tonga as Haumole Olakau'atu finds a bit of space but the move breaks down and England escape.

    Here come England again with last week's man of the match Mikey Lewis probing and testing out the Tonga defence.

  15. Postpublished at 13 mins

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Matty Ashton, fresh from scoring the opener, takes a fine catch from a Tonga kick.

    Tonga are trying to keep England pinned back.

    It's been a good response but they need to find a gap in this strong England defensive wall.

    No luck with that so far despite some huge collisions.

  16. Postpublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Steve Sutcliffe
    BBC Sport at John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield

    Matty Ashton scores for EnglandImage source, SWPIX.COM

    In one quick snapshot the two Harrys - Smith and Newman - showed just how pivotal they can be for England as they moved the ball from left to right to create an opening for Matty Ashton in the corner.

    Shaun Wane will be delighted by those developing partnerships.

  17. Postpublished at 10 mins

    England 6-0 Tonga

    The camera just pans to Tonga coach Kristian Woolf who looks deep in thought.

    He said in his pre-match interview that his side started too slowly last week.

    Deja vu Kristian?

  18. Tomkins, Charnley & McGillvary watch onpublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Steve Sutcliffe
    BBC Sport at John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield

    Former England captain Sam Tomkins and his one-time Wigan team-mate Josh Charnley, who helped Leigh Leopards to Challenge Cup glory earlier this year, slipped into their seats just before the national anthems.

    Jermaine McGillvary, who played on the wing in England's 6-0 defeat by Australia in the 2017 Rugby League World Cup final, is also an interested observer just in front of me.

    He's very much a legend in these parts, until very recently it was his home patch.

  19. Postpublished at 8 mins

    England 6-0 Tonga

    Brian Noble
    Former Great Britain coach on BBC One

    That's a great pass from Harry Newman, the quality of his skills and his handling gives Matty Ashton a relatively easy task.

  20. try

    TRY: England 6-0 Tongapublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 28 October 2023

    Matty Ashton (goal Harry Smith)

    Matty Ashton scores for EnglandImage source, PA Media

    Yes they can!

    With the first real opportunity of the game, England are over!

    It's worked wide nicely and Matty Ashton, one of England's changes today, finishes it off nicely for his first international try.

    That penalty given away by Tyson Frizell a moment earlier gave England an opening and they seized it with both hands.

    Harry Smith adds the extras.