Rugby League World Cup: Shaun Wane says England want 'big one' in final

Head coach Shaun Wane says England want the "big one" in the World Cup final after crushing debutants Greece to reach the last eight.

The tournament hosts claimed their biggest ever win in the competition by ruthlessly thrashing the Greeks 94-4.

England finished top of Group A and will face the second-placed team from Group D, likely to be Papua New Guinea.

"The best day of my career will be getting to Old Trafford and winning that game," said Wane.

• England run in 17 tries against Greece in record win

• Relive England's 94-4 victory over Greece

• Fixtures, results and BBC coverage times

Wane left boyhood club Wigan Warriors in 2018 after leading the side to three Super League Grand Final triumphs, two Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge.

After a spell with the Scottish Rugby Union, he took charge of England in 2020 and has now set his sights on claiming an elusive World Cup triumph for England.

The Three Lions have been beaten in three finals, including in 2017 when they were agonisingly defeated 6-0 by Australia down under.

England are into the knockout stage again and did it in emphatic fashion by running in an incredible 17 tries in Sheffield, registering the second biggest win in World Cup history.

"It is sudden death now," said Wane. "Game on, these are the games I like where it is the pressure and we have to win.

"Papua New Guinea excites me, I can't wait but we want the big one. We will get challenged by teams left in the competition."

Asked how his current role compares to the job he did at Wigan, Wane told BBC Sport: "The spirit and togetherness between the staff and players as a group is through the roof.

"These are better players, I am leading the best of the best and training is easy. They are really smart, intelligent, skilful players and the best we have."

Stand-in skipper George Williams, one of the star performers of the game, added: "Playing for England is massive and these are the games you want to be involved in and have to win to get into finals."

Greece coach 'proud' and 'emotional'

Greece were playing in their first World Cup campaign but return home after losing all three games and finishing bottom of the group.

Aside from one game in Athens, the team had played most of their qualifiers outside Greece. They were banned from playing on home soil until August, when the Greek government recognised the Greek Rugby League Federation as the governing body for the sport in the country.

"I am proud, happy, emotional, we got through the tournament," said a tearful Greece boss Steve Georgallis after the game.

"I don't think you get to walk around the field after being beaten by 90 points and the crowd shout the name of your country Greece. It shows the effort the team has put in.

"Those domestic players can go back home and can say I represented my country at rugby league."

Before the tournament began, it was being billed as the most competitive World Cup ever with sides including Tonga, Samoa and Fiji expected to challenge the 'big three' of Australia, New Zealand and England.

But there have also been a number of one-sided scorelines such as the one witnessed at Bramall Lane on Saturday, Scotland's 84-0 loss to holders Australia and New Zealand's 68-6 thrashing of Jamaica.

"Greece earned the right to be in this competition after the adversity to develop and grow the game," said former Scotland international Andrew Henderson. "They get the opportunity to play at international level and it has been some journey."

Former England forward Jon Wilkin said: "In sport we have become obsessed with this things called 'competitive balance' where coming into a game all things are equal, there is jeopardy and either team can win. We have become blinded by it.

"The underdog story feeds into the narrative of world sport so nights like tonight, we have to accept will happen.

"Greece are going to get battered by a tier-one nation but it is vital we embrace the underdogs as well as the champion and all in between."

Former England captain James Graham added: "Greece is a great story and our game is making footsteps around Europe and across the world, but let's be real, it is a bunch of part-timers with a couple of NRL players in there as well.

"We expected to see a healthy scoreline for England and that's what we got, which is pleasing to see."