England vs Tonga Tips: Rugby League Betting Preview For International Test Match
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England vs Tonga Predictions:
England are aiming for a clean sweep as they face Tonga for the final time in their three test series this Saturday.
Under the leadership of Shaun Wane, England secured hard-fought victories of 22-18 and 14-4 against Kristian Woolf's team in St Helens and Huddersfield.
The upcoming match in Yorkshire presents an opportunity for England to complete a 3-0 series triumph on home soil.
UK betting sites have rightly installed England as the favourites due to their recent performances, but it's worth acknowledging that some noteworthy adjustments have been made to Wane's 19-man squad.
Captain George Williams returns to the fold in place of the impressive Mikey Lewis, while Morgan Smithies, Josh Thewlis, Tyler Dupree and Robbie Mulhern get their chance to impress the England boss as they're named in the initial 19-man selection.
With just four and 10 points separating the sides in the first two clashes, this could be the closest contest yet, and we have plucked out a couple of selections ahead of the series finale at Headingley Stadium.
A Clash That Could Be Decided At The Death
Despite a number of changes to the squad, Wane emphasised that his side are "obsessed" with claiming a 3-0 series whitewash.
Throughout the test matches, Tonga's physicality has been prominent, particularly with their formidable front-row players, but England have muscled up when it matters and dealt with the Polynesian side with maximum efficiency, limited the away side to just one try in last weekend's game.
In this final contest, we anticipate England maintaining their relentless approach, and the introduction of new faces provides them with a real chance to prove themselves for future international selections.
The encounters between England and Tonga have consistently delivered intense battles, a tradition that dates back to the 2017 Rugby World Cup, where England narrowly prevailed 20-18, after leading 20-0 with just 10 minutes remaining.
While England are determined to deliver a show-stopping performance to secure the whitewash victory, Tonga are equally eager to see their irrefutable efforts pay off with a series-ending victory.
Considering that the previous three head-to-head clashes were all decided by a margin of no more than 10 points (all in favour of England), the odds of 17/10 on a flurry of betting apps for England to win by 1-12 points seems a sensible bet for this match.
Tip: England to win by 1-12 points – 17/10 with William Hill
Fast Start In England’s Locker
In both of the previous two tests, England have struck first on the scoreboard, accomplishing this feat with tries in the opening 10 minutes of each match.
Toby King was the early scorer in the during the first clash, dotting down after just eight minutes. And in the following test, Matty Ashton began proceedings with a try in the seventh minute in what was just his second international appearance.
The third test promises to deliver the same level of intensity from the off, especially with England's refreshed line-up, as they will look for a strong start to deter any hopes the Tongans may have.
In the first two games, five of England's six tries have been scored by players in the centres or on the wings and considering the competition among the host's outside backs, it wouldn't be surprising if Wane opts to employ the strategy of spreading the ball wide early on.
Additionally, with King and Tommy Makinson sidelined due to injuries, this presents a golden opportunity for Josh Thewlis and Ben Currie to step into the starting line-up and make an instant impact.
Tonga hold a respectable fifth-place ranking in the world at present, and the prospect of achieving a series whitewash against such a tricky opposition is a challenge that has not gone unnoticed by Wane.
The former Wigan Warriors boss is well-known for demanding a high level of performance from his players, and with so much at stake for England, he won't allow levels to drop, even with an unassailable lead.
Given the way both previous games began, the 4/7 odds offered by Bet365 appears to be a sound bet for England to be the first to get over the whitewash.
Tip: England to score the first try – 4/7 with Bet365
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