Despite this afternoon’s 36-6 win over the PNG LNG Kumuls, Wayne Bennett’s England only completed 25 of 45 sets.
The Kumuls were dealt a mighty blow 90 seconds into the match when captain David Mead came off second best after a try saving tackle on England’s Luke Gale.
After surviving early raids from the English, the Kumuls went on the counter-attack and came agonisingly close to drawing first blood after Kato Ottio dropped a bomb in the in-goal.
Repeat sets to England produced the first points with Jermaine McGillvary flying over on the wing.