Rugby League Ashes 2025: England v Australia Kangaroos

[.db.]

Saturday 25th October, 2.30pm (BBC One from 2pm)
Wembley Stadium, London
6-26 (0-1)

Saturday 1st November, 2.30pm (BBC One from 2pm)
Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
4-14 (0-2)

Saturday 8th November, 2.30pm (BBC One from 2pm)
Headingley Stadium, Leeds


Looking forward to this. There should be far more regular internationals against the Aussies than there are. Inexplicably, we haven’t played the Aussies since the 2017 World Cup final which we heartbreakingly lost 6-0, eight years ago. And this is the first Ashes series since 2003.

This is the first ever Ashes series as ‘England’. It’s a shame it’s not the traditional ‘Great Britain’ as the iconic name, badges and kit were part of what made the Ashes so good. It’s never mattered to me if there aren’t any Scottish or Welsh players, we’re still British, and it’s just the culture and history of it all. But what can we do? It’s been decided it’s ’England’ so that’s that.

Some Ashes test history…

All-time Ashes series record:
Great Britain 19; Australia 20

All-time Ashes games record:
Great Britain 54; Australia 59
(5 draws)

All-time Ashes scoreline:
Great Britain 650; Australia 952


As England, we’ve played Australia 25 times and our record is:
England 7; Australia 16
(2 draws)

With an all-time scoreline of:
England 281; Australia 558

 

[.db.]

Some really build-up videos with Jon Wilkin on YT, called ‘Rivalry Reïgnited’…

2010s episode: Sam Burgess, Gareth Widdop, Kallum Watkins




2000s episode: Leon Price, Adrian Morley




1970s-90s episode: Ellery Hanley, Martin Offiah, Malcom Reilly

 

[chesterbells]

Off to the Hill Dicko on the 1st. Anyone else going to one of the matches?
Cheers for those clips .db.
- maybe they are trying to mimic other sports? Or how about a GB v Australia cricket Ashes ;-)

 

[Corky]

It is a bit daft this, if Wales play them is that the "ashes" too?

Odd on 3-0 white-wash but tickets have sold well.

I went to the GB Test at CoMS when both sides missed drop goals to win it then Australia won 12-8 with a try in front of the North Stand back in 2004 as part of a different series. When they expanded the world cup in 1995 and needed more countries so split up GB it kind of ended the "Ashes" 3 game series' importance, and along with no GB win since 1970, interest declined.

It isn't inexplicable not playing them, it is down to RL finances, covid and "unusual" governance at the RFL. It will be a disaster next year with the Championship and League 1 merged into one, but they topped it by promoting 3rd place Bradford back to super league, even ignoring their own grading system.

 

[The Black Shed]

It's one of, if not the toughest, gigs in any team sport in the world - beating the Kangaroos.

 

[.db.]

It is a bit daft this, if Wales play them is that the "ashes" too?

That’s what I thought n’all.

Australia have played England and Wales separately as warm-up matches, as part of old Ashes tours.

It should be Great Britain.

Like some of the ex-players in those videos I posted above said, playing for Great Britain was a pinnacle! Whenever Aussies used to be on Sky’s Super League Superstars, they all used to say that playing for the Kangeroos against Great Britain was the pinnacle of their careers, above State of Origins or World Cups. Jamie Peacock once said the only shirt he has framed and on the wall at home was one of his Great Britain shirts and has also said ‘when you wear the Great Britain shirt, you're just aware you're standing on the shoulders of giants, you're aware of all the previous people who've worn that shirt’.

‘England’ just doesn’t hold that prestige, culture or history.

England have only ever won the minor European Championships, all our major history and success has come as Great Britain: 3 time World Cup winners, 19 Ashes series wins, 10 Ashes series wins in Australia, Jim Dveruaux’s hattrick in 1908, Dave Valentine lifting the first ever World Cup and this country’s first ever World Cup win in any major sport in 1954, Eric Ashton being the only Brit to lift a World Cup for this country in any major sport for a second time in 1960, Roger Millward’s 2 tries 6 conversions and 1 drop goal in 1970, Clive Sullivan being the first black British national team captain and World Cup winner and try scorer in the final in any sport in 1972, Henderson-Gill’s ‘Boogy-woogy’ and Mike Gregory’s try in Sydney in 1988, Sean Edwards’ red card and Jiffy’s try at Wembley in 1994, Adrian Morley’s red card after 12 seconds in 2003 in a series where we were winning every game with a few minutes to go but ended up losing in a 0-3 series (we were only behind for a combined 7 minutes across the series and lost all three games!)…

I’ll stop going on about it after this post, haha, but I genuinely find it detrimental to the culture of the sport of Rugby League that Great Britain was ever discontinued.

The Ashes n’all… listening to Sam Burgess, Gareth Widdop and Kallum Watkins on that first video above; none of them ever played in an Ashes series. Danny Maguire, Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield, Sam Tomkins, James Graham, James Roby, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, Sam Thaiday, Greg Inglis… never got to play an Ashes series in their careers. That’s such a shame for those players. All eras greats should get the chance to play in them.

The governing bodies of this sport run the intentional game very poorly.

 

[.db.]

First part of the new documentary is out; ‘Chasing History’:

 

[.db.]

Both teams have named their matchday squads:

England

John Bateman
AJ Brimson
Daryl Clark
Herbie Farnworth
Ethan Havard
Tom Johnstone
Morgan Knowles
Matty Lees
Mikey Lewis
Jez Litten
Mike McMeeken
Mikolaj Oledzki
Kai Pearce-Paul
Owen Trout
Alex Walmsley
Jake Wardle
Jack Welsby
George Williams ©
Dom Young


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 ©
Tom Dearden
Lindsay Collins
Reuben Cotter
Keaon Koloamatangi
Bradman Best
Lindsay Smith
Mitchell Moses

 

[Pancake Arse]

Bateman and Williams should be nowhere near that squad.

 

[chesterbells]

How many tickets have they sold for today? I had (yet another) email yesterday, reminding me they were on sale at the ground today up till kick off.
I’d expect the biggest Aussie support for the 3 matches to be at today’s match.

Looking forward to it, ahead of next Saturday. If Australia do win today, I just hope it’s reasonably close score-wise, to keep at least some momentum and positivity for the game in Liverpool.

 

[.db.]

How many tickets have they sold for today? I had (yet another) email yesterday, reminding me they were on sale at the ground today up till kick off.
I’d expect the biggest Aussie support for the 3 matches to be at today’s match.

Looking forward to it, ahead of next Saturday. If Australia do win today, I just hope it’s reasonably close score-wise, to keep at least some momentum and positivity for the game in Liverpool.

Don’t know how true it is but I’ve heard over 60k tickets sold for today’s game.

That feels like a disappointing crowd in a 90k Wembley but will be an Ashes attendance record in Britain (previous record 1994 Ashes First Test, Wembley, 57,034).

With only:
2013 RL World Cup semifinal, Wembley, England v Kiwis (67,545)
2013 RL WC final, Old Trafford, Kangaroos v Kiwis (74,468)
2021 WC final, Old Trafford, Kangaroos v Samoa (67,502)
…being bigger international RL attendances in this country.

 

[.db.]

Bateman and Williams should be nowhere near that squad.

I think the back row will be Trout, Knowles and Pearce-Paul (or at least that would be my starting pick).

Although, Bateman does have steady NRL stats this season: 91.2% tackle success, 38 tackles a game, 88 metres a game, 22 offloads in total… and he (and Nicholson) have been a huge miss in the back row at Warrington this season, one of the main reasons Wire went from 3rd to 7th with those two both going to the NRL and not being replaced.

Williams has been the least of Wire’s problems this season. Cleary and Munster, as a pair, wouldn’t have done owt behind Wire’s non-existent pack this season. Williams will be a different player for England.

 

[lefty goldblatt]

I think the back row will be Trout, Knowles and Pearce-Paul (or at least that would be my starting pick).

Although, Bateman does have steady NRL stats this season: 91.2% tackle success, 38 tackles a game, 88 metres a game, 22 offloads in total… and he (and Nicholson) have been a huge miss in the back row at Warrington this season, one of the main reasons Wire went from 3rd to 7th with those two both going to the NRL and not being replaced.

Williams has been the least of Wire’s problems this season. Cleary and Munster, as a pair, wouldn’t have done owt behind Wire’s non-existent pack this season. Williams will be a different player for England.

Pretty much spot on.

Wire haven't had a decent pack for over a decade, when we rotated props Morley, Carvell, Hill and Wood. Since then, our pack is as weak as a vicars handshake.

Williams deserves at least one go, this series. After this afternoon, we can judge again

 

[.db.]

One thing I am worried about more than even Australia’s quality, is who’s kicking goals for England?

 

[MillionMilesAway]

One thing I am worried about more than even Australia’s quality, is who’s kicking goals for England?

You're assuming that they will need one!

I wonder which 2 get dropped from the 19.

 

[.db.]

You're assuming that they will need one!

I wonder which 2 get dropped from the 19.

Team is out:

 

[chesterbells]

Come on lads

 

[chesterbells]

Forward pass in there, out wide to in?

 

[cyan]

That’s what I thought n’all.

Australia have played England and Wales separately as warm-up matches, as part of old Ashes tours.

It should be Great Britain.

Like some of the ex-players in those videos I posted above said, playing for Great Britain was a pinnacle! Whenever Aussies used to be on Sky’s Super League Superstars, they all used to say that playing for the Kangeroos against Great Britain was the pinnacle of their careers, above State of Origins or World Cups. Jamie Peacock once said the only shirt he has framed and on the wall at home was one of his Great Britain shirts and has also said ‘when you wear the Great Britain shirt, you're just aware you're standing on the shoulders of giants, you're aware of all the previous people who've worn that shirt’.

‘England’ just doesn’t hold that prestige, culture or history.

England have only ever won the minor European Championships, all our major history and success has come as Great Britain: 3 time World Cup winners, 19 Ashes series wins, 10 Ashes series wins in Australia, Jim Dveruaux’s hattrick in 1908, Dave Valentine lifting the first ever World Cup and this country’s first ever World Cup win in any major sport in 1954, Eric Ashton being the only Brit to lift a World Cup for this country in any major sport for a second time in 1960, Roger Millward’s 2 tries 6 conversions and 1 drop goal in 1970, Clive Sullivan being the first black British national team captain and World Cup winner and try scorer in the final in any sport in 1972, Henderson-Gill’s ‘Boogy-woogy’ and Mike Gregory’s try in Sydney in 1988, Sean Edwards’ red card and Jiffy’s try at Wembley in 1994, Adrian Morley’s red card after 12 seconds in 2003 in a series where we were winning every game with a few minutes to go but ended up losing in a 0-3 series (we were only behind for a combined 7 minutes across the series and lost all three games!)…

I’ll stop going on about it after this post, haha, but I genuinely find it detrimental to the culture of the sport of Rugby League that Great Britain was ever discontinued.

The Ashes n’all… listening to Sam Burgess, Gareth Widdop and Kallum Watkins on that first video above; none of them ever played in an Ashes series. Danny Maguire, Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield, Sam Tomkins, James Graham, James Roby… never got to play an Ashes series in their careers. That’s such a shame for those players. All eras greats should get the chance to play in them.

The governing bodies of this sport run the intentional game very poorly.

If it was a GB squad are there non-English players you would expect to improve it?

 

[threespires]

Forward pass in there, out wide to in?

Looked it from that 2nd camera angle but they didn't look so I assume it was just the camera angle.

We've survived being under the cosh last few mins so let's see what we can do now.