Reece Walsh starred with two tries and two try-saving tackles as Australia defeated England 26-6 in front of a record crowd of 60,812 at Wembley Stadium. Angus Crichton also scored twice for the Kangaroos, who controlled the match from the opening minute.
England's only try came from Daryl Clark late in the game, providing a small consolation for the home fans. However, the performance was described as "insipid" by observers, with England's forwards failing to match Australia's physicality after an early tackle from Tino Fa'asuamaleaui set the tone.
"I know what these players are capable of, but we didn't give ourselves a chance to win," England coach Shaun Wane said. He added that the team was "a bit apprehensive" during the match.
Walsh's defensive efforts were crucial, denying England two first-half tries by racing out of the line to intercept passes from Jack Welsby and Jake Wardle. "I'm probably happier with the two tries I stopped than the two I scored," Walsh told the BBC.
The Kangaroos led 8-0 at halftime after a controversial try, with Hudson Young appearing to trip Mikey Lewis and Mark Nawaqanitawase throwing a forward pass that went unnoticed. After the break, Australia dominated, with Walsh creating a break from his own 10-metre line and Crichton scoring twice.
Walsh was named player of the match, amassing 236 metres with two line breaks on his Test debut. Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters praised him as "a great asset of ours." The teams will meet again in Liverpool and Leeds for the remaining Ashes Tests.
