What next for England after heart-breaking semi-final Rugby League World Cup defeat?

How England’s heart-wrenching and demoralising defeat in the semi-final of the Rugby League World Cup will affect the growth of the 13-a-side code in this country is anyone’s guess.

The hosts had a golden opportunity to showcase their sport to the entire nation and the rest of the globe but blew it when it mattered most.

Now the powers-that-be must ensure that the progress made over the past few years is maintained and when the next tournament is staged in France in 2025 guarantee England will be stronger and better equipped to lift the crown than they are now.

Some of the present squad, including Saints’ Jack Welsby, will still be around in three years’ time, fit and raring to go, and by then having hopefully learned a great deal from the chastening experience of losing in golden point extra-time to outsiders Samoa in front of more than 40,000 fans at London’s Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

It then fell on the shoulders of crestfallen head coach Shaun Wane to explain where it all went wrong.

He said: "We lacked composure and consistency on the biggest stage of all and like the players I’m gutted. We were not good enough on the day and the better team won but what my players achieved in this tournament has been outstanding."

It’s difficult to say why the wheels fell off the wagon at this crucial time in the competition after the hosts had swept through the group stage and then almost contemptuously brushed aside Papua New Guinea in the last eight.

They appeared to be in irresistible form and capable of going on to win the coveted trophy for the first time since 1972 when playing under the Great Britain banner, but in sport the best plans of mice and men can often go wrong - and this was a case in point.

No blame, however, can be attached to St Helens winger Tommy Makinson who landed all his five goals after a record-breaking five-try haul in the previous round against Papua New Guinea but whether the 31-year-old winger will be around in 2025 is open to debate.

Neither will some other member of the current squad and what does the future also hold for the man at the helm?

Wane’s passion for the sport can never be questioned, yet it is known he misses the day-to-day involvement in the sport and a return to Super League cannot be entirely ruled out. Only time will tell.