England spoke all the right words. They looked the part. They told us that they were ready.”We’re almost there… I don’t think we’ve ever been more ready than this,” said England captain George Williams.
Williams insisted again before the kick-off that this was “the best England setup I’ve ever been a member of.”We’ll be pumped up this weekend but we have to be smart. Shaun Wane, England’s head coach, said that the match would be “a smash-up”.
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Megan Wellens of Sky Sports wraps up the first Ashes Test in Wembley.
Australia won comfortably despite their sometimes sloppy play, the fact that they were without their captain in the ninth-minute and their lack of ruthlessness. The Kangaroos didn’t have to be brilliant.
As Paul Gallen put it bluntly: “I didn’t think Australia were great… England were horrible.”
Phil Gould said, “I really didn’t expect anything better.” I had hoped that things would be better. They’ve been beaten.”Cameron Smith – one of the greats in the game – called an English defensive effort during their second half “embarrassing”. Smith never tries to use soundbites in order to get attention. Listen to him when he speaks.This was England’s statement match. On the day when talk became substance. The team which had promised to be most prepared and most harmonious in decades was unconvincing from the start.
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Australia’s Nathan Cleary reacted to the 1-0 victory in the Ashes against England
I watched the match again and saw Australia winning in a first 30 minutes many thought of as an “arm-wrestle”. In the first 30 minutes, Australia was crushing a clinging England team. The hosts went 30 minutes without a single kick outside their half. Tom Johnstone and Dom Young deserve praise for their attempts to defuse situations and make progress on numerous occasions from inside their own half. Speaking to fans at Wembley after the match, I heard a similar sentiment… “England was so far away today… It’s been closer in the past”. That’s true…on occasion. Australia has also been guilty of much worse – and far more significant – crimes. So that nostalgic line doesn’t hold true…yet
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England manager Sam Tomkins reacts after a disappointing performance against Australia in the first Ashes test
England needs to ensure that Saturday, at Everton, this does not become a trend. Two defeats start to look like a pattern. One loss can be brushed aside as an “off-day”. The disappointment is even greater because the buildup was so convincing. Williams said, “We are almost there.” “The best setup I have ever been part of.” The captain was not faking, he really believed it. Wane promised the same intensity and calm: “We need to be intelligent, but hyped.”When the pressure hit, the noise turned into echoes. England were not smart. England were not composed. They were unprepared.
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In Game 3 of the State of Origin this year, Queensland’s average play-the-ball time was 4.05 seconds. New South Wales had a faster speed of 3.62. What can I conclude from this? On paper, England should have had an advantage. Eight of their play-the-balls were between 1 and 2 seconds. Australia played 24 slower play-the balls (over 5 seconds) than England, yet they still dominated the territory and tempo. Slow play-the balls usually stop attacking rhythm. But Australia still won the game despite losing the ruck. The NRL referee is on duty this Saturday. We’re told that the faster rucks will be penalized for both teams, and those rucks longer than five seconds may also be penalized. We’ll see.
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Queensland celebrated after winning the State of Origin this year by beating New South Wales.
I predicted England’s win. It’s my fault. I believed what the noises said. I thought that the Australian absences, travel and time England had to put together a team would make the majority of the fans leave Wembley with a smile. It was dark. Why did England, at the largest match in recent years, look like they were not capable of competing? Why was a group that had promised clarity so confused? We have many questions, but we don’t know the answers. Of course there’s hope. This is not a single-off, but a series of three Tests. Imagine losing in a Grand Final and having a chance for redemption seven days later. It would restore confidence and wouldn’t this be welcome? I can’t believe how excited I am to see and hear rugby league fans at the new stadium. It could be an incredible day for this game in our country.
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If you lose again the conversation changes. Wane is in charge for a long time, and his goodwill will expire. It’s not only about levelling the series this weekend. It’s important to prove that optimism was not misplaced and that last weekend’s loss was just a slip. Narrow defeats don’t matter. I’m sure. It’s only important to beat Australia if you want to win the Ashes. A series loss of 2-1 is exactly that. Defeat.George Williams declared, “We are almost there.” Maybe. Right now, England looks lost on the map. They promise the world, but deliver an atlas.Rugby League Ashes 2025First test: Saturday, October 25, Wembley Stadium. England 6 – 26 AustraliaSecond test: Saturday, November 1, Everton Stadium in LiverpoolThird test: Saturday, November 8, Headingley Stadium in Leeds
2025-10-28 10:40:00
