Sri Lanka
USA
Canada
India
UK
UAE
Australia reaffirmed their dominance in rugby league with a commanding 30-8 victory over England at Headingley, sealing a 3-0 Ashes series whitewash. Despite a spirited performance from the hosts, the world champions’ class and composure proved too strong, marking their first consecutive Ashes clean sweeps since 1986.
Rewritten Article (3rd person version):
Australia completed a resounding 3-0 series triumph over England with a 30-8 win in the final Ashes Test at Headingley. The Kangaroos were made to work harder than in previous encounters, but their relentless pace and precision ensured they left Leeds with both victory and history.
The match began in typical Australian fashion — fast, focused, and clinical. Within just five minutes, Josh Addo-Carr crossed in the corner after a looping pass from Cameron Munster, setting the tone for the evening. England’s Joe Burgess, playing his first international in a decade, handed over possession with a knock-on that gifted the visitors valuable territory.
Australia coach Kevin Walters had promised an “all-in” performance despite the series already being secured, and his players delivered. With only one change to their previous lineup — captain Isaah Yeo returning from concussion — they dominated possession early on. England suffered an early blow when AJ Brimson was forced off with a shoulder injury, leaving Mikey Lewis to fill in at full-back, a position in which Australia quickly exposed his inexperience.
A handling error from Morgan Knowles led to Australia’s second try, as Munster’s deft grubber was grounded by Hudson Young, giving the Kangaroos a 12-0 lead. England, however, finally found rhythm late in the first half. A sharp break from Jez Litten, capitalising on a rare mistake from Reece Walsh, set up George Williams for a morale-boosting try. Harry Smith added a penalty just before halftime, narrowing the deficit to 12-8.
England came out revitalised after the break, with the Headingley crowd roaring them on. They played with pace and creativity, unsettling the Australians for the first time in the series. However, their resurgence was short-lived. A lapse in defence allowed Harry Grant to score under the posts, followed by two late tries from Reece Walsh, who once again demonstrated why he is among rugby league’s brightest stars.
Walsh’s brace — bringing his series tally to four — sealed Australia’s 30-8 victory and confirmed their first back-to-back Ashes clean sweeps since 1986. As Grant celebrated by booting the ball into the crowd, it symbolised not arrogance but authority — a statement from a team that remains the global benchmark in rugby league.
For England, there were flashes of brilliance and undeniable grit, but too many errors and missed opportunities ultimately cost them. For Australia, it was yet another reminder of their enduring excellence — and a celebration of total control in one of the sport’s oldest rivalries.
