England take on France this weekend knowing only a resounding victory will keep their faint World Cup hopes alive.
Brian McDermott's side suffered a damaging defeat to Tonga in their opening game, leaving them needing to score heavily in their remaining group matches to stand any chance of reaching the semi-finals.
England were competitive against the powerful Tongans but lacked the craft to turn good ball into points.
McDermott must now roll the dice to keep England in contention until the final weekend of the group stage, when their fate could lie in the hands of their rivals.
There are potential changes across the side but two should be non-negotiable: Mikey Lewis and Jez Litten must start together against France.
Litten had to settle for a place on the bench in the Perth opener and was only introduced when England were chasing the game.
Lewis, meanwhile, missed out on the 19 altogether and could only watch on as McDermott's chosen half-back pairing failed to make the most of promising situations.
England nailed the first part of their game plan by moving Tonga around with offloads to gain field position, only to squander the chances when they arrived. That responsibility ultimately falls on the shoulders of the halves.
With George Williams inked in as captain, Harry Smith – who flatters to deceive against top nations – must make way for Lewis.
The Hull KR half-back was included in the original squad for his running game, among other things, and England need to carry that threat on both edges in their remaining games.
A dangerous runner himself, Litten is the man to pull it all together in the middle of the park.
The Rovers hooker gave a glimpse of his dynamism but had little more than 20 minutes to make his mark on a game that was already slipping away.
While Brad O'Neill was solid enough against Tonga, he does not offer the same threat out of dummy-half.
Litten's understanding with club team-mate Lewis could be key to unlocking a backline that showed some positive signs in defeat.
Elsewhere, Morgan Knowles could return to the pack in place of the below-par Ethan Havard after sitting out the opening weekend through injury.
Kallum Watkins offers McDermott versatility and experience following his late call-up, while Ben Talty is another option in the pack.
But starting Lewis and Litten is not a gamble McDermott should fear taking but an opportunity he cannot afford to miss if England are to make their group rivals sweat over the next fortnight.