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The home side's offensive weaknesses were exposed and punished by a clinical Australian side as the visitors swept to a surprisingly comfortable win in the first match of the Ashes.

The England coach's side had talked at length about their motivation going into the opening series for over two decades, and they were certainly not short on endeavour at Wembley. However, in the crucial moments, it was the reigning title holders who showed more calmness in front of a record attendance for an series match in the United Kingdom of over sixty thousand spectators.

Outstanding Performance from Reece Walsh

Guided by an exceptional showing in attack and defence from club star Walsh, Australia were deserving and convincing victors in the first match of the three-match series, meaning England must win at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium next Saturday to keep alive their hopes of a first Ashes win since the 1970s.

England will have to be much better with the possession if they are to achieve that. On several instances in the first half, the home team found themselves in advantageous situations but they were failed to score for any tries. That was in no small part thanks to Walsh, who executed two superb turnovers.

Crucial Plays of the Game

The initial came as Herbie Farnworth seemed destined to put Dom Young in for what would have been the first score, then Walsh denied Mikey Lewis as half-time neared. By then, the Australians had taken the lead as Reece Walsh himself completed a excellent play.

Cleary added the extras before adding a two-pointer on the stroke of the interval to open up a eight-point lead. It was a pivotal moment, as was the score for Crichton soon after the resumption which made it fourteen to nil in favor of the Kangaroos. The hosts now had to cross the line thrice and that seemed to halt their drive.

If there were any doubt about the winners, they were decisively settled with 15 minutes to go. Munster's half-break was supported by Angus Crichton, who pushed past Welsby for Australia’s third try.

That made it twenty to zero and there was added disappointment in the final minutes as Reece Walsh completed another scintillating move, exploiting a tired and clearly exhausted England defensive line for his second.

Match Result and Outlook

By then, home fans had begun to filter out and many missed Daryl Clark’s consolation, which at least avoided the home side being held to nil. Nonetheless, there are plenty of questions for the coach to address going into what is now a do-or-die match next Saturday.

• Home Side: Full team lineup.
• Substitutes: Bench players.
• Tries: Clark.
• Conversion: Mikey Lewis.

• Visitors: Walsh; Nawaqanitawase, Staggs, Shibasaki, Addo-Carr; Munster, Cleary; Carrigan, Grant, Fa’asuamaleaui, Crichton, Young, Yeo.
• Interchange: Reserves.
• Tries: Reece Walsh (two), Angus Crichton (two).
• Goals: Cleary 5.