A RAMPANT England booked their place in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals with an emphatic 46-6 win against Papa New Guinea in Wigan.

Shaun Wane’s side started off superbly, with prop Tom Burgess crashing over from close range after less than five minutes.

The hosts doubled their lead just a few moments later, with Tommy Makinson diving onto a superb Sam Tomkins kick to the corner.

Makinson’s fellow winger Dom Young got himself on the scoresheet inside the first fifteen minutes too, teed up by the excellent Kallum Watkins.

A fourth score followed within three minutes of the restart, with Makinson burying himself over the try line after a terrific take on the last tackle.

George Williams, Kallum Watkins and Makinson once again would add to England’s total in the first half minutes that followed, giving Wane’s men a 38-0 lead heading into the break, something that even the most optimistic of England fans wouldn’t have envisaged before the game got underway.

With the contest effectively wrapped up, England didn’t get out of first gear in the second half.

The highlight of the second forty had to be Makinson’s fifth try- a trademark, tenacious finish after a sweeping move from right to left.

While Papa New Guinea’s performance left a lot to be desired, England will take so much from this result and their display. They were relentless and looked like a unit capable of coping with some of the best teams in the competition.

They’ll face either Tonga or Samoa at The Emirates Stadium next Saturday.