Rugby League Match Report | England 4 - 14 Australia

The wait goes on. 

Another valiant English effort falls short, and Australia’s grip on the Rugby League Ashes remains unbroken.

Author | Michael Haldsworth

Stadium | Hill Dickinson Stadium

A 14-4 win in the second Test on secured the Kangaroos their 14th successive series triumph, extending a run that stretches back more than half a century. It means next week’s sold-out third Test at Headingley will be a dead rubber, with Australia now aiming to complete a 3-0 whitewash.

After being comprehensively beaten by Kevin Walters’ side at Wembley a week earlier, England’s display here was more in keeping with what Shaun Wane had demanded. The head coach promised his players would produce a response after “failing to show up” in the opener, and they duly did.

England were the stronger side for much of the first half, dominating territory and possession, but they could not turn pressure into points. The scoreboard reflected a stalemate at 4-4, with Nathan Cleary and Harry Smith trading penalties.

That was as good as it got.

Despite flashes of intent, including Dom Young narrowly failing to ground a Herbie Farnworth grubber and Morgan Knowles fumbling just short, England were repeatedly frustrated by a disciplined Australian defence.

In five decisive minutes after the interval, the visitors took control. A loose England pass on the left was punished immediately as Cameron Munster shrugged off George Williams to score. Moments later, Tom Johnstone spilled a high Cleary kick, allowing Hudson Young to pounce for Australia’s second try.

The game began in fiery fashion, with tempers flaring and both Young and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui sent to the sin bin after a mass scuffle inside three minutes. It set the tone for a combative England performance that had been missing at Wembley.

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Smith’s assured kicking and control helped tidy up England’s play, while debutant AJ Brimson impressed at full-back. But for all their improved structure, England could not make it count. Even when Reece Walsh was sin-binned midway through the second half, Wane’s side lacked the cutting edge to capitalise.

Australia’s superiority in both composure and execution ultimately told, leaving England once again to wonder how long the wait for an Ashes breakthrough will go on.

Captain George Williams called it a “reality check”.

England entered the Ashes series believing they could finally end Australia’s 55-year dominance, but those hopes have been ruthlessly extinguished.

After convincing series wins over Tonga and Samoa in the past two years, Shaun Wane’s team looked ready to challenge the Kangaroos as the Rugby League Ashes returned for the first time since 2003. Yet across two Tests, the gulf in class has been plain to see.

England have managed just one try in 160 minutes of rugby, Daryl Clark’s late effort at Wembley the only breach of Australia’s defence so far. The visitors, by contrast, have crossed six times in two games and have looked sharper, smarter and far more clinical in key moments.

When errors crept into England’s play early in the second half of the latest encounter, Australia’s response felt inevitable. Each lapse was punished, each mistake magnified, as Wane’s side were reminded of just how far they still have to go to truly compete with the sport’s dominant force.