“What we have done today is enormous, given the context,” McDermott told his post-match media conference in Perth.<\/p>\n
“Knowing we had to win big – and we have had candid conversations about that this week – we have done that without getting hot. Everything was measured and planned.<\/p>\n
“Whatever the results next week, we have to finish strong – if we go home next week, we will be disappointed, but I’m not sure what else we could have done.”<\/p>\n
McDermott’s final comments may allude to the controversial format of this men’s World Cup, which features an unbalanced group stage that has not helped England’s prospects.<\/p>\n
Pool A has four teams – Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Cook Islands – fighting for two semi-final places in a round-robin format. Simple enough.<\/p>\n
But Pools B and C are combined into one six-team league, from which only the top two will make the semi-finals. England, drawn in Pool B, play the three Pool C teams – Tonga, France and Papua New Guinea.<\/p>\n
It means while England are competing with Samoa for a semi-final place, they will not actually play each other.<\/p>\n
It also means that while New Zealand lost their opening fixture against Australia, their path to the semis remains simple \u2013 win their final two group games.<\/p>\n
England too had to win their last two pool matches but also needed snookers.<\/p>\n
There is some reason behind the maddening format, introduced after France \u2013 who were supposed to host a 16-team men’s World Cup last summer \u2013 pulled out because of money troubles.<\/a><\/p>\n