5 hours ago
5
Rugby League Ashes - Match 1 of 3
England (0) 6
Try: Clark Goal: Lewis
Australia (8) 26
Tries: Walsh 2, Crichton 2 Goals: Cleary 5
Twenty-two years later, same story. Australia picked up where they left off in their domination of the rugby league Ashes.
During the last series in 2003, the Kangaroos won 3-0 after edging a trio of tight contests.
All three games were won by six points or fewer, with Great Britain having led in the second half.
The early signs here are the 2025 edition may not be so close. England did not shirk from the challenge, but Australia had more quality when it mattered and eased through the gears in the second half to win comfortably.
The hosts defended well but had to do so in numbers against a Kangaroos side that looked a well-oiled machine whenever they advanced with their attacking threat.
And the flamboyant dive by brilliant full-back Reece Walsh - the outstanding player of this match - as he crossed for the first score of the series lit up the Wembley encounter and highlighted the difference between the rivals.
Despite the best efforts of Shaun Wane's men, Australia still have the upper hand.
After a bruising, hard-fought opening, Walsh's try set the tone as debutant Mark Nawaqanitawase shifted the ball left for the rampaging Brisbane Broncos full-back to go over in style.
England were unhappy as scrum-half Mikey Lewis appeared to be tripped in the build-up, and there looked to be a forward pass too - but the try was given following a review by video referee Jack Smith.
Smith partly redeemed himself to the Wembley crowd by disallowing a second Australia try before the break as Dom Young was taken out by Josh Addo-Carr as he jumped to catch a high kick.
Wane's side initially responded well to conceding and defence-splitting grubber kicks from George Williams and Tom Johnstone had the green and gold defence on their heels.
But Nathan Cleary added a penalty with the last action of the first half to put Australia 8-0 up - and they extended the lead straight after the interval.
After putting the hosts under constant pressure from the restart, Angus Crichton strode through to score with full-back Jack Welsby too deep and allowing him to go through far too easily.
Australia kept England at arm's length thereafter, easing their way to victory in the first meeting between the sides since the 2017 World Cup final.
That success was secured with 15 minutes remaining as second row Crichton scythed through the defence again for his second try, and more gloss was added when a superb field-length move down the left was finished by Walsh.
Daryl Clark barged over in the final minutes for England, but it was no more than a consolation.
A downside for the visitors was that captain Issah Yeo was forced off in the first half after failing a head injury assessment following a clash with Young. He will also miss the second Test on Saturday (14:30 GMT) at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.
There were some positives for England.
Williams and Lewis started as the half-back pairing for the first time, with Harry Lewis left out of the squad, and fitted like a hand in glove. Expect them to repeat their duet in Liverpool next week.
There, England will continue a quest for a first win over Australia in three decades, and try to rescue a first Ashes series triumph in 55 years.
England: Welsby, Young, Farnworth, Wardle, Johnstone, Williams, Lewis, Havard, Clark, Lees, Bateman, Pearce-Paul, Knowles
Interchanges: Litten, Walmsley, Trout, McMeeken
Australia: Walsh, Nawaqanitawase, Staggs, Shibasaki, Addo-Carr, Munster, Cleary, Carrigan, Grant, Fa'asuamaleaui, Crichton, Young, Yeo
Interchanges: Dearden, Collins, Cotter, Koloamatangi
Referee: Liam Moore
