England are preparing for an all-or-nothing, must-win encounter against Samoa at the Women's Rugby League World Cup, with head coach Stuart Barrow adamant that his squad can keep their tournament ambitions firmly alive. Even under intense pressure, Barrow has stressed that his side remain positive regarding their chances of advancing to the semi-finals.
That positive outlook comes directly in the wake of a devastating test on Saturday, where England suffered a crushing 78-0 drubbing at the hands of Australia. Reflecting on the punishing scoreline against the Australians, the head coach acknowledged that his players were simply 'blown away' during the contest.
Nevertheless, the lopsided 78-0 defeat has not broken the spirit or resolve within the England camp. Demonstrating the squad's collective desire to prolong their tournament journey, the prevailing mindset is that 'people don't want to go home,' with Barrow maintaining that his group is focused on regrouping rather than dwelling on the weekend's drubbing.
Everything now rests on the upcoming meeting with Samoa, which has become an undeniable must-win fixture for Barrow's side. If England are to recover from being blown away by Australia and achieve their primary objective of reaching the Women's Rugby League World Cup semi-finals, they must channel that positivity and secure a decisive victory.