Rugby League World Cup: England demolish Greece, Victor Radley suffers arm injury

England have given Greece an absolute hiding, falling just short of racking up a century as Victor Radley suffered an arm injury – with his English father watching on for the first time.

Victor Radley suffered an arm injury in the first half of the 90-point hiding. Picture: Getty

Victor Radley’s father Nigel arrived in England only days ago but it was well worth the long fight from Sydney as his first chance to see his son play for the land of his birth turned into a rout.

England raced in 17 tries against Greece in their final pool game at the World Cup as all the talk about lopsided scorelines reached a crescendo in Sheffield, the home side winning 94-4.

Newcastle winger Dom Young helped himself to four tries and South Sydney prop Tom Burgess scored a double as England handed out a good, old-fashioned hiding to their outclassed opponents.

They did much of the damage with Victor Radley watching from the sidelines after he left the field in the first half with an arm injury.

Victor Radley suffered an arm injury in the first half of the 90-point hiding. Picture: Getty

Even that couldn’t dampen the mood as Nigel Radley watched his son pull on English colours for the first time a stone’s throw from where he grew up,

Radley’s old man was born in Sheffield but was raised by his parents in nearby Hoyland. When Victor first arrived in England, he made sure he stayed in Sheffield for a few days and went to the Hare and Hounds pub in Hoyland for a feed.

Plenty of people in the pub knew his grandparents, who lived in Hoyland until they passed. Radley told English reporters on the eve of the Greece game that he planned to donate his jersey from his Test debut against Samoa so it could be put up in the working men’s club in Hoyland.

An emotional Adam Vrahnos of Greece soaks up the atmosphere after the match. Picture: Getty

Nigel Radley wasn’t the only relative in the crowd. Victor reckons he had about 50 people from all over the world coming to the game. Nigel spoke to BBC at halftime and declined to put a figure on it.

“There is a load up there in the stands – all my mates,” Nigel said.

“There is family down here. It is a good day. It is fantastic. He got a lot of support. I think he felt comfortable with the decision.”

Nigel still speaks with a Yorkshire accent – a leopard never changes its spots he told BBC – and is fast becoming a believer as England head into the knockout round of the tournament in fine fettle.

They have blitzed their opposition so far but they will find Papua New Guinea a tougher prospect in the quarter-finals. That said, they are flying through their opening three games and no-one has flown higher than Young, who has scored tries for fun through the pool games.

“I think they are playing well and they are going to give it a good shake,” Nigel Radley said.