England v France RLWC2021

England will be looking to finish the group stage on a high with another win when they clash with Greece in Sheffield in the World Cup

England are unbeaten after two games, with impressive victories over Samoa and France, and will be out to top Group A by crushing the Greeks at Bramall Lane.

The hosts have named George Williams as captain, with Sam Tomkins rested.

Jack Welsby is likely to take Tomkins’ place at fullback, with Marc Sneyd to again partner Williams in the halves.

Joe Batchelor and Kai Pearce-Paul have been named in England’s 19-man squad and both are expected to make their debuts.


Herbie Farnworth and injured centre Kallum Watkins have both been left out, with Dom Young or John Bateman likely to feature in the centres.

Greece and England have never played before, with rugby league banned in the country until July this year, and the Titans are in for another huge challenge after losses to France and Samoa.

Mitchell Zampetides is expected to face the hosts in south Yorkshire, after missing the Samoa match with an ankle injury.

Jordan Meads has also returned for the Greeks, after missing Samoa, and will partner Lachlan Illias in the halves.


Meads, Illias and Billy Magoulis will again be key figures for the Titans, who are playing in their first-ever World Cup.

A win for England will see them most likely play Papua New Guinea in the quarter-finals at Wigan next weekend.


John is a freelance journalist who has been writing about rugby league for the past decade. He covered the 2013 and 2017 World Cups, has appeared on TV and radio, and been published in The I-Paper, The Guardian, The Sun, The Mirror, League Express, Inside Sport magazine and Big League. He writes regularly for Forty-20 magazine, League Weekly and co-hosts the podcasts By the Balls and Six To Go.