PNG coach Adrian Lam has already been involved in one of rugby league's greatest upsets.

Lam created history for his country when he stepped into Allan Langer's No.7 Queensland Origin jumper for the "unwinnable" 1995 State of Origin series during the game's Super League war.

He and his maroon outcasts stunned a star-studded NSW 3-0 in one of the most amazing upset in the game's 10-year history.

Now Lam is looking to repeat the dose, this time with the underdog Kumuls - rated no hope of beating England in their World Cup opener in Townsville on Saturday for which they are quoted despised $10 outsiders.

"There are a lot of similarities there," said Lam, adding critics were entitled to write the Kumuls off given that they've had barely any international exposure for some years.

"Everyone's saying we're no chance and I guess when you look at it they've probably got a right to when you compare the other three teams (Australia, England and New Zealand) to Papua New Guinea.

Lam said when the World Cup draw first came out, PNG, quarter finalists in 2000, were very disappointed to be in the same pool as the three heavyweights.

"When the draw first came out we were disappointed and did everything we could to try and get out of it," Lam told AAP.

"Now we've embraced and we've moved on.

"It's not so much us against them. We've got to go out and play rugby league and put a performance together to give ourselves a chance."

Lam conceded the Kumuls, who love to entertain, would need their share of luck to go 80 minutes against the super teams.

"There'll be a bit of hope that we get a few good bounces and a few decisions fall our way," he said.

While he is hoping to catch England off guard in the Townsville heat, he doesn't have fond memories of his last World Cup visit to the north Queensland city.

"I was in the team at the last World Cup that went to Townsville and got beat 82-0 by Australia. I won't forget that one," he said.

"I don't have great memories of this place but those days are long gone I'd like to think."

The Kumuls will rely heavily on the experience of 30 year-old Garoka-born Salford Reds three-quarter John Wilshere and Hull KR lock Stanley Gene, backing up for his third World Cup since 1995.

England, raging favourites to open their quest for their first World Cup with a big win, shifted base from the Gold Coast on Wednesday to Townsville.

The players and staff were devastated to learn overnight that former Great Britain winger David Myers had been killed in a car crash in the UK at the age of 37.

The PNG team to play England:

John Wilshere (capt), George Kepa, Jesse Joe Parker, Tuu Maori, David Moore, Rod Griffin, Keith Peters, Makali Aizue, Paul Aiton, Trevor Exton, Neville Costigan, James Nightingale, Stanley Gene. Interchange: Rodney Pora, George Moni, Jason Chan, Charlie Wabo, Nixon Kolo, Anton Kui, Menzie Yere (three to be omitted).

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