HEADINGLEY – tick, Australia and their approach to this tour – tick, England’s PR and chances of doing well in the World Cup under Shaun Wane – a big cross.

What the Ashes and the Pacific Championship have made clear to me is that there is a real appetite for international Rugby League, both here and Down Under.

But when it comes to what’s happening both on and off the pitch, we are being left behind.

I’ve been going on about it in all my recent columns, and I sound like a broken record, but while it was a different kind of venue and occasion to both Wembley and Everton, as far as what happened on the pitch at Headingley, it was same old, same old as we ended up losing all three Tests, and scoring just two tries overall.

Yes, there were periods when England were able to attack, and obviously at one stage, there were only four points in it and we were having plenty of the ball.

However, there was a lack of creativity, variety, vision and awareness, and just as in the previous two Tests, there was always that feeling that Australia were at times playing within themselves and could turn the tap on and step things up when they wanted to – and that’s exactly what they did.

It underlined an old point, that while defence can keep you in a game, you need to score points to win one, and for England, that has proved all too difficult.

Mind you, it’s not a new issue. The last time before Saturday an Ashes Test took place at Headingley was in 1982, when the then Great Britain team also suffered a whitewash and scored only one try across the three meetings – by Steve Evans in Leeds, where Australia won 32-8.

Forty-three years on, Australia didn’t really have to play that well for their 3-0 triumph, and it’s a real and clear sign that the quality and lack of regular intensity in our domestic game isn’t anything like that in the NRL and isn’t helping when it comes to challenging not just the Kangaroos and New Zealand, but the other rising Pacific sides as well.

Shaun ‘Churchill’ Wane can talk about passion and patriotism, and both are important, but even allowing for the limited resources at his disposal, questions have to be asked about his squad selection and all-too predictable tactics.

He talks about players having credit in the bank, but teams should be picked on who is confident and on form.

As I’ve said before, for me, Jake Connor should certainly have been in the squad, and also the Hull KR trio of Dean Hadley, James Batchelor and Elliot Minchella. They are good players, and Rovers had a great season, with Jez Litten’s contribution at hooker at least one positive for England.

Losing AJ Brimson so early in the game on Saturday was unlucky, and it led to Mikey Lewis coming on at fullback.

It’s not a position he is used to, and playing there when unfamiliar with the role is a challenge at the best of times, never mind against a side as slick and powerful as Australia.

You can’t blame Lewis, because he was pitched in and gave it his all, but Australia exploited the situation, as any team worth their salt would do.

I wrote in my first Ashes column that Connor was not only a creative player in form, but that he also offered versatility, including being able to play fullback, and had he been either in the starting side or on the bench on Saturday, England would have been better off.

Wane was too blinkered when picking players, and while he says he is undoubtedly the right coach to lead England into the World Cup, I disagree.

We failed to make the last World Cup Final and we have suffered an Ashes whitewash on home soil, and given it seems highly unlikely he will resign, I think the RFL need to grow some crystals and make the decision to have a change of direction and get in another coach to take on that World Cup challenge.

Away from the result, it was a pleasure to be at Headingley (thanks to Hunslet for inviting me as their guest and also to Andrew Thirkill and Hull FC, who did the same at Everton).

My first experience of an Ashes Test at Headingley was in 1978, when I was 13 and a ball boy as Australia won 23-6 to seal a 2-1 series victory.

I was close to the action, and could hear the crunch of those tackles. I loved the noise of the crowd and the atmosphere back then, and I loved it on Saturday.

There’s not much better in sport than a big match at Headingley when the place is packed to the rafters. It’s such a special and historic ground.

I also watched New Zealand beat Samoa in the Pacific Cup final in Sydney, where there was also a good turn-out, and both matches showed just how much fans want to see international Rugby League.

We have to do everything possible to grow this side of our game, and full marks to Australia for getting out and engaging with the public here, something England seemed averse to.

It was great to take my three grandkids to Headingley on Friday for their captain’s run – as I have said before, I get better treated and shown more respect by the Aussies than I do by the RFL – and after meeting the world’s best players, they were absolutely buzzing.

We have to get youngsters engaging with Rugby League – and the Aussies obviously see that.