James Roby is succinct and to the point when asked for his memories of England’s last World Cup semi-final four years ago: “Heartbreaking.” At 5am UK time on Saturday, Wayne Bennett’s side will aim to reach the final for the first time since 1995 when they face Tonga in Auckland. For anyone connected to English rugby league it will be hard not to think back to 24 November 2013.
That day, in the autumnal breeze at Wembley, Shaun Johnson’s try with seconds remaining broke English hearts and ensured New Zealand reached the final. Roby, one of seven survivors from that day who will face the Tongans, admits there are lessons from that performance the team can use to their advantage in the semi-final. “I think it might be in the back of a few people’s minds,” he says.
“Personally I’ve tried not to think about it too much. To lose with just seconds left was devastating and, although we want to rectify that, you can get caught up in the past a little bit. If there’s anything we can learn it’s to switch on for the full 80 minutes and we can’t knock off, even if there’s 30 seconds left.”
England have been eliminated at the semi-final stage in the past three World Cups, all to New Zealand, but this time they face a different opponent arising from the change in international eligibility rules that convinced some of the top Antipodeans to switch nations. It was suspected Tonga could upset the status quo and that has proved the case.
Their win in New Zealand in the group stages ensured they won their pool from the Kiwis and, though they stuttered in beating Lebanon last week, Tongacertainly look quite capable of continuing England’s miserable run at this stage of the tournament. Roby is fully aware of their qualities.
He says: “They’re obviously a fantastic team and they’ve warranted getting to the semi-finals via some great victories. They beat New Zealand in the group stages and then got past Lebanon and they’re a side packed with star talent. They deserve everything they’ve got by getting to this stage and we know it’ll be tough.”
Roby is also conscious that to progress to the final, where they would play the winner of Friday’s semi-final between Australia and Fiji, they need to improve significantly their own performance. England were again inconsistent and below par despite beating Papua New Guinea in the quarter-final and that must change for them to stand a chance of victory.
“We know we need to put in an 80-minute performance this week because at this level and with this pressure you’ve not got any room for error,” Roby admits.
Despite England’s inconsistencies, Roby has been one of Bennett’s best players. His impact from the bench has been magnificent and, now aged 32, the St Helens hooker admits he is aware every game may be his last at a World Cup. “It’s a huge honour to be here,” he says. “I’ll be 36 at the next World Cup and not many people play in one at that age. You never know, I might still be kicking around but you’ve got to remember in the back of your mind that these games might not happen again for me.”
Roby also knows what victory could do for the sport’s profile back home. He says: “Hopefully if we win it increases a lot of the media coverage and we can get a bit more exposure for the sport. Even if it just turns a few peoples’ heads and gets them talking about rugby league, then great.
“We’re pretty confined to the M62 [corridor] barring the odd exception and we need to grow as much as we can. International rugby is the place to do that.”
He is not wrong. The shadow of four years ago still looms large over English rugby league – in Auckland, there is the chance to consign it to the past once and for all.
