Australia won’t bow out against England

Australia won’t bow out of the Four Nations against England, according to the rugby league bookmakers.

A disappointing 30-12 defeat to New Zealand in their opening game means that the Kangaroos would be eliminated from the competition should Steve McNamara’s men pull off what would still be a shock victory.

If New Zealand defeat Samoa in the other game too, that would ensure England’s passage to the final, and mean that the Kiwis and McNamara’s men would play each other in successive weeks – first in a dead rubber group game and then in the 2014 final.

Australia are 3/10 favourites, with England 21/10.

McNamara has named an unchanged squad from the win over Samoa last Saturday, but could still include skipper Sean O’Loughlin, should he recover from injury.

New Zealand take on Samoa in Whangarei on Saturday (3am GMT), before Australia’s game with England at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Sunday (5am).