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The home side's offensive weaknesses were exposed and punished by a clinical Australian side as the visitors secured a worryingly straightforward victory in the opening Test of the Ashes.

Shaun Wane’s team had spoken effusively about their drive going into the first Ashes for over two decades, and they were certainly not short on endeavour at Wembley. Yet, in the crucial moments, it was the world champions who displayed more calmness in front of a record attendance for an Ashes Test in the UK of over sixty thousand spectators.

Brilliant Display from Walsh

Guided by an outstanding showing in offense and defense from Brisbane Broncos’ Reece Walsh, Australia were worthy and comfortable victors in the opening Test of the three-game contest, meaning England must win at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium next weekend to sustain their hopes of a series victory since 1970.

England will have to be significantly improved with the possession if they are to accomplish that goal. On multiple occasions in the opening period, the hosts found themselves in advantageous situations but they were failed to score for any points. That was in no small part thanks to Walsh, who executed two wonderful turnovers.

Crucial Plays of the Match

The first came as Herbie Farnworth seemed certain to put Young in for what would have been the opening try, then Walsh denied Mikey Lewis as half-time approached. By then, the Australians had gone ahead as Walsh himself completed a wonderful move.

Nathan Cleary added the extras before kicking a penalty on the brink of the interval to establish a two-score lead. It was a pivotal moment, as was the score for Angus Crichton soon after the restart which made it fourteen to nil in favor of the visitors. The hosts now had to score three times and that seemed to stifle their momentum.

Should there have been uncertainty about the winners, they were decisively settled with 15 minutes to go. Munster's half-break was backed up by Crichton, who pushed past Jack Welsby for Australia’s third try.

That made it 20-0 and there was further humiliation in the final minutes as Walsh finished another breathtaking move, exploiting a weary and visibly shot English defense for his second try.

Match Result and Looking Ahead

By then, local supporters had begun to filter out and many missed Clark's late try, which at least prevented England being held to nil. However, there are plenty of questions for Wane to answer going into what is now a do-or-die match next weekend.

• Home Side: Welsby; Young, Farnworth, Wardle, Johnstone; Williams, Lewis; Havard, Clark, Lees, Bateman, Pearce-Paul, Knowles.
• Substitutes: Bench players.
• Try: Clark.
• Goal: Mikey Lewis.

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