Australia secured a commanding 30-8 victory over England in the third Test at Headingley, completing a clean sweep of the Ashes series with a 3-0 record. On full display was Australia’s knowledge of how to seize a moment and England’s failure to turn their opportunities into points. Reece Walsh’s star was on the rise for the Kangaroos. He scored two late tries that built their lead and secured their defense of the English retreat.
The match featured a sparkling individual performance from Harry Grant, who led the Australian team’s dismantling of the English side like an artist painting upon canvas. England were 12-8 down with just 18 minutes to go. They just didn’t have the ability to penetrate the stout Australian defense or finish their countless attacking chances.
Match Overview
The game started with both sides showing their attacking intent. Australia soon settled into an unassailable rhythm, crossing the line repeatedly and converting all their tries with laser focus, including repeat efforts from Nathan Cleary‘s right boot. The Kangaroos held England to just 8 points in the entire match, themselves scoring 30 unanswered in the process.
Reece Walsh’s late double would be decisive, and both his second-half scores illustrated the promise of this dazzling young talent. His opening attempt was a phenomenal solo effort that lit up the fallen Australian team. England applied pressure, looking to crack the Australian defense, but failed to score. Even after launching 36 tackles into the Australian 20-meter area, the scoring bug persisted. They did score their only attempt with a scintillating 60-meter dash. It was not nearly enough to test Australia’s ironclad hold on the match.
“It was a tough one. We knew they would come out firing. It wasn’t our best footy, but we got the job done in the end.” – Reece Walsh
England’s Struggles
Although they have been relentless and energised, England could not keep such an intensity or conviction beyond the first-half hour. Jez Litten, the Hull KR dummy half, was England’s most outstanding player, a wrecking ball of grit and determination. Individually, Alex Walmsley, a bench prop, had one of the best games of any player on the English side, playing an important role in their physical defense.
It was England’s failure to capitalise on their attacking returns that was most damaging. They showed shades of brilliance, unable to get their shots to fall with the game on the line. The pressure increased as they were down only four points late in the game. Try as they might, all of their attempts fell short of cracking Australia’s chain defense in those key moments.
“I wouldn’t say that is the best we can play. A bit scrappy. Proud of our defence – we are just hungry to get better and that is something we can take pride in.” – Reece Walsh
Australia’s Tactical Advantage
Australia proved a much better tactical performance in every aspect of the game. Their skill and execution when creating and having space to score tries was a constant threat and showed off their attack talents. The group exhibited sharp execution on both sides of the ball, interestingly and more significantly giving a great show of control over the pace of the game.
Kangaroos seized on pivotal moments in the game, converting seemingly every scoring chance they had. Cleary’s well-timed conversions added vital points to the scoreboard that extended their lead and put pressure on England. With their speed, defensive play and aggressive counter attacking, Australia was the team to beat.
