Rugby League Ashes: Australia beat England 30-8 to complete 3-0 series whitewash

Rugby League Ashes – Match 3 of 3

England (8) 8

Try: Williams Goal: Smith Penalty: Smith

Australia (12) 30

Tries: Addo-Carr, Young, Grant, Walsh 2 Goals: Cleary 5

After scoring Australia’s third try at Headingley, where the tourists completed a ruthless 3-0 series victory on Saturday, Harry Grant booted the ball into the crowd.

It was a show of defiance to the boisterous Leeds crowd, and a symbol of the Kangaroos affirming their authority.

Once again, this was not to be England’s day.

More than in any other match in this Ashes series, Australia were made to work hard against dogged and defiant hosts. But the result was the same, a flurry of points came Australia’s way late on, and the whitewash was complete.

Having also won 3-0 in the previous series in 2003, this means Australia have completed clean sweeps in successive Ashes for the first time since 1986.

England had more moments of creativity and attacking verve here than they had shown in the previous two matches. But they also made more mistakes, with the first three Australian tries coming directly from errors.

England: AJ Brimson, Joe Burgess, Herbie Farnworth, Harry Newman, Tom Johnstone, George Williams, Harry Smith, Mike McMeeken, Jez Litten, Matty Lees, Kallum Watkins, Kai Pearce-Paul, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Mikey Lewis, Alex Walmsley, Morgan Smithies, Mikolaj Oledzki.

Australia: Reece Walsh, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Kotoni Staggs, Gehamat Shibasaki, Josh Addo-Carr, Cameron Munster, Nathan Cleary, Patrick Carrigan, Harry Grant, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Angus Crichton, Hudson Young, Isaah Yeo (captain).

Interchanges: Tom Dearden, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Keaon Koloamatangi.

More to follow.