ENGLAND 4 AUSTRALIA 14
STEPHEN IBBETSON, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Saturday

ENGLAND battled hard but once more failed to take their chances as Australia wrapped up an Ashes series victory with a game to spare.

Shaun Wane made five changes from the 26-6 first Test reversal at Wembley and it led to a much improved display, matching their counterparts in most areas throughout.

But they were left to rue another poor attacking display, failing to score a try despite plenty of good ball and, in the first half especially, several significant chances.

After going into half-time at 4-4, Australia clinched the match with two tries in four minutes by Cameron Munster and Hudson Young.

The Kangaroos have now won 14 successive Ashes series and will look to complete a whitewash at AMT Headingley in Leeds next Saturday.

The most significant of the England changes saw AJ Brimson make his debut at fullback in place of Jack Welsby and Harry Smith recalled for benched Mikey Lewis.

Jez Litten started at hooker with Daryl Clark omitted while Kallum Watkins and, from the bench, Morgan Smithies and Mikolaj Oledzki came into the pack. Out went Ethan Havard, John Bateman and Owen Trout, with Mike McMeeken promoted to start.

Australia had no need to change a winning formula and their only change was skipper Isaah Yeo, who suffered a head injury at Wembley, being replaced by Lindsay Collins in the starting line-up as Lindsay Smith came in on the bench. Patrick Carrigan moved to loose-forward as Harry Grant assumed captaincy duties.

England showed a fresh aggression from the start – including their willingness for a confrontation. It took little more than a minute for the first flashpoint, started by nines Litten and Grant wrestling off the ball before their much bigger team-mates piled in.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Dom Young were both sent to the bin for their contributions, while the penalty went Australia’s way for Nathan Cleary to kick the first two points.

England failed to take their first chance to respond, with Tom Johnstone unable to get around Mark Nawaqanitawase, but when McMeeken was caught high in front of the posts by Angus Crichton the scores were levelled by the boot of Everton fan Smith.

Three big opportunities to take the lead came and went in the following 15 minutes, first when Dom Young was stopped in the corner by a high tackle from Reece Walsh. The presence of Gehamat Shibasaki ensured it was a penalty rather than a penalty try.

Next Walsh failed to gather a neat grubber by England captain George Williams and Morgan Knowles looked to capitalise, but he knocked the ball forward before scooping up to touch down over the line.

Moments after that, Herbie Farnworth stabbed a kick through for his winger Young which Walsh tried to shepherd out of play. Young made a great effort to reach the ball, but crucially couldn’t get a hand on it.

Australia, riding their luck, received two much-needed penalties, the second for a dangerous Smithies tackle in front of the posts from where Cleary nudged his side back ahead with his second penalty.

Yet the hosts were still enjoying the better of things, with Knowles stopped short after a kick was knocked back to Kai Pearce-Paul.

And on the stroke of half-time Brimson, after a quiet first half, was obstructed in pursuit of a kick by Smith, who did the necessary to square things up at 4-4.

The second half proved a different story, with the Kangaroos retaking the lead with the game’s first try nine minutes in.

Williams made the initial error, throwing a pass behind Johnstone, and when Munster took on the line Williams was the only player to make a tackle as he was allowed to slide across the turf and over the whitewash.

Cleary missed his first kick of the series but soon made amends as Australia went back-to-back. Johnstone knocked on a cross-field kick from Cleary in the air, with Hudson Young on hand to canter in as Australia went ten points ahead.

The second half was in danger of petering out until Walsh was shown the yellow card with 14 minutes remaining. Williams planted a kick for Young to challenge in goal, and while neither he nor opposing winger Josh Addo-Carr could claim it as they collided mid-air, Walsh’s follow-up – crashing into Young with his shoulder – was punished.

The Australian defence held firm once more in the following set, only after which was Lewis finally injected off the bench.

But it was the tourists who were more likely to score in the rest of the period with a man disadvantage. First Jake Wardle denied Hudson Young after a Cleary break, and then Farnworth stopped Addo-Carr when Tom Dearden’s pass caught out Dom Young, who hobbled off shortly afterwards.

After much pre-series anticipation – and some renewed hope provided by England’s first-half efforts here – the Ashes belong to the Aussies yet again.

GAMESTAR: Cameron Munster had the most significant impact of Australia’s key players.

GAMEBREAKER: England failing to take any of their first-half chances when on top of the game.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Cameron Munster was too hot to stop as he got the crucial breakthrough.

MATCHFACTS
ENGLAND
1 AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans)
2 Dom Young (Newcastle Knights)
3 Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)
4 Jake Wardle (Wigan Warriors)
5 Tom Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity)
6 George Williams (Warrington Wolves)
7 Harry Smith (Wigan Warriors)
8 Mike McMeeken (Wakefield Trinity)
9 Jez Litten (Hull KR)
10 Matty Lees (St Helens)
11 Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos)
12 Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights)
13 Morgan Knowles (St Helens)
Subs (all used)
14 Mikey Lewis (Hull KR)
15 Alex Walmsley (St Helens)
16 Morgan Smithies (Canberra Raiders)
17 Mikolaj Oledzki (Leeds Rhinos)
18th man (not used)
18 Owen Trout (Leigh Leopards)
Also in 19-man squad
19 Daryl Clark (St Helens)

Goals: Smith 2/2
Sin bin: Young (2) – fighting

AUSTRALIA
1 Reece Walsh (Brisbane Broncos)
2 Mark Nawaqanitawase (Sydney Roosters)
3 Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos)
4 Gehamat Shibasaki (Brisbane Broncos)
5 Josh Addo-Carr (Parramatta Eels)
6 Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7 Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
8 Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)
9 Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
10 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)
11 Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
12 Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
13 Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
Subs (all used)
14 Tom Dearden (North Queensland Cowboys)
15 Lindsay Smith (Penrith Panthers)
16 Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)
17 Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
18th man (not used)
18 Bradman Best (Newcastle Knights)
Also in 20-man squad
19 Jacob Preston (Canterbury Bulldogs)
20 Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels)

Tries: Munster (49), Young (53)
Goals: Cleary 3/4
Sin bin: Fa’asuamaleaui (2) – fighting, Walsh (66) – shoulder charge

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-2, 2-2, 2-4, 4-4; 4-8, 4-14

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
England: Herbie Farnworth; Australia: Cameron Munster

Penalty count: 7-6
Half-time: 4-4
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 52,106