England's rugby league Ashes dreams are hanging by a thread after a crushing defeat—but Shaun Wane still has a fighting chance if he dares to shake things up for the second Test. Imagine staking everything on a star player who dazzles at home, only to see your plans crumble under pressure. That's the predicament facing England's coach as he heads back to Wigan, questioning whether his bold gamble on Hull KR's Mikey Lewis paid off. Opting to bench Harry Smith for the Ashes opener and pairing Lewis with skipper George Williams was a shock, but it made sense at the time—Lewis had just shone as player of the match in the Super League Grand Final, hitting peak form. Yet, this dynamic duo faltered against Australia's unyielding defense in the first Test. If they can't turn it around at Liverpool's Bramley Moore Dock on Saturday, Wane's bid to reclaim the Ashes could evaporate before our eyes.
Reflecting on the 26-6 drubbing at Wembley, Wane pinpointed the issue: 'Our last plays disappointed me most. They outkicked us.' It's unusual for anyone to outkick a Wigan warrior like Smith, who rarely misses a beat. Lewis tried mixing his kicks under the high posts, but they barely rattled the Australians. The standout attacking moment came from substitute hooker Jez Litten, whose 40-20 kick—basically a long, angled punt that bounces out of play near the opponent's end line, giving your team a scrum feed—offered a glimmer when England were down by 18 points. Even then, Williams dropped the ball near the try line, and just five seconds later, Reece Walsh had dashed all the way to midfield. Ouch.
Williams took on a role similar to Tyrone May's for Hull KR this season, shadowing the right side defensively while drifting across the field with Lewis mostly on his left, scouting for openings. But Wembley offered few chances. The pair connected directly more often than most modern halfback duos—about six times in the opening half alone—yet they lacked the explosive plays that can shred Super League defenses. As Williams himself noted, 'We had four or five incidents when we had them in areas to punish them and didn’t. It’s small margins.' For beginners in rugby league, think of the halves as the brain of the team: the scrum-half (like Williams) organizes plays and kicks, while the stand-off (Lewis here) acts as a link, creating chances for the backs to score tries.
After a short break, England's squad is back in training, trailing 1-0 in this three-match series. They desperately need to unlock space for their top talents at Bramley Moore Dock. Standout centre Herbie Farnworth, widely regarded as one of the world's finest in his position, ended up chasing opponents all over the field, tackling anyone in green as his worn-out teammates wilted. 'We’ve got some class players, it’s just about getting on the same page,' Farnworth remarked. And this is the part most people miss—rubbing the squad's raw talent often comes down to timing and coordination, not just individual brilliance.
Wane typically prefers a reliable, seasoned hooker from the start, but he might need to bench veteran Daryl Clark to bring Smith into the fray. Since shifting Jack Welsby to full-back post-2022 World Cup, Wane has juggled Smith, Williams, and Lewis—often with Lewis coming off the bench. He could try his 'three-halves' tactic again at Everton Stadium, starting Litten at hooker and using Lewis to inject energy from dummy-half (the hooker position when playing) or as a left-sided halfback.
But here's where it gets controversial: swapping halfback partners mid-series often screams 'desperation' or even 'panic.' This has plagued every England and Great Britain coach during Australia's rugby league supremacy—it's like firing the England football manager after every World Cup flop. The numbers tell a grim story. Since March 1994, when Shaun Edwards emerged from illness in Carcassonne to team up with Garry Schofield for their 11th and final match, leading Great Britain to a narrow France win, no duo has lasted more than six starts together. After Edwards' swansong and a 1994 Ashes loss, the void was massive. They experimented with 21 pairings over 13 years. From the 2000 to 2013 World Cups, England or Great Britain cycled through a new combo roughly every two games. Few endured beyond a series. Tony Smith rotated eight different pairs in 13 outings. Forging a lasting creative synergy? Nearly impossible.
Injuries play a role, but this instability mirrors the depth of British talent. When legends like Edwards and Andy Gregory or Bobbie Goulding dominated, they got the nod. With only one standout, like Sean Long in the mid-2000s, he partnered with whoever was available. It's the same now with Williams under Wane. Notably, even stellar club partnerships get sidelined: Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow managed just three international halves appearances; Kevin Sinfield played 15 times for England at stand-off but never alongside a Leeds teammate in a dominant setup. Bizarre, right?
The constant halves shuffling led to comical name combos that sound like trendy cafes: Harris and Deacon morphed into Harris and Horne, Pryce and Long became Pryce and Burrow. Chaos reigned—24 pairings in 38 internationals—until Steve McNamara stabilized on Sinfield and Rangi Chase for the 2013 World Cup. Wayne Bennett used nine different halves across nine partnerships but stuck to one for each tournament. Wane has followed suit, and he'll hesitate to pivot now. But is this stubbornness a strength, or does it ignore the evidence of historical failures? What do you think—should coaches prioritize loyalty over adaptability, even when it's clear a change is needed?
Another option for Wane: sideline struggling full-back Welsby, whose vulnerabilities were exposed by the Kangaroos, and bring in versatile Gold Coast player Alex Brimson. Brimson watched from the sidelines at Wembley, a short Tube ride from where his mum attended school. Wane realizes his attacking core needs fine-tuning, much like his aging forwards need a break. Hope isn't gone yet, though. Great Britain endured 15 straight Ashes losses until 1988, then claimed nine of the next 30. They've suffered 13 defeats since, averaging 18 points behind. A shift is essential—perhaps a counterpoint to consider is that sometimes, embracing change too hastily can disrupt team chemistry, leading to even worse results. What would you do as coach: stick with the current pairing and hope for improvement, or risk the chaos of a switch?
Shifting gears to the wider rugby league scene, let's check in on the Clubcall spotlight: London Broncos. As newly promoted teams scramble for Super League stars before pre-season drills, the Broncos unveiled their marquee signing, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, at a flashy rebrand event last Thursday—think dramatic lettering reminiscent of a reality TV show, in early 2000s navy and red. Former captain, coach, and CEO Tony Rea found himself awkwardly sandwiched between RL Commercial's Rhodri Jones and Lord Caine, who greenlit their Super League exclusion for 2026. Talk about uncomfortable vibes! Veterans recalled the brief golden era under Richard Branson. The new owners, led by Darren Lockyer, envision London as Melbourne before the Storm's rise.
'This is not a vanity project,' insisted Gary Hetherington, who was still corresponding from his Leeds Rhinos email last week. 'There’s a great story that needs to be told. We want to create something different, be part of the entertainment business.' Keeping the same six or seven players that new coach Jason Demetriou targeted for Super League shows serious intent. Brace for a signing spree and a staff expansion—exciting times ahead, but does this aggressive approach risk overextending a fledgling franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments: Is the Broncos' ambition destined for glory or another chapter of disappointment?
On the foreign quota front, while Australia dominated the Ashes, France secured their World Cup spot with a 36-0 romp over Jamaica, and Greece relegated Italy from Euro C with a 46-14 victory in Udine. Germany steps in, having clinched Euro D against Norway, and Ireland faced a shocking 24-0 friendly loss to Wales in Neath. Italy's third-string side dropping two home games in a week wasn't the best 75th anniversary celebration, but like other European nations active last week, they're gearing up for 2030 World Cup qualifiers, which the NRL aims to host in the US. It's a global game evolving—controversially, some argue prioritizing international expansion might dilute traditional rugby league heartlands. Do you agree that broadening the sport's reach outweighs preserving its roots?
At the goalline dropout, solid debutant winger Mark Nawaqanitawase became the fourth Australian capped in rugby union, sevens, and league after a steady Kangaroos outing at Wembley. Comparing his first two weeks with the squad to a Wallabies tour, the Olympian shared in his kit post-game: 'Any kind of Test format is very similar: the buildup, the professionalism, the whole aspect of it. It’s very enjoyable. The atmosphere is amazing and the quality of players you come up against. Everything’s quite intense. What you’ve got to do to get selected is right up there. It’s pretty special. I thought: “I’m living the dream.”' For context, rugby sevens is a faster, shorter version of rugby union, adding to his unique journey. Isn't it fascinating how elite athletes navigate multiple codes—does this versatility make them more valuable, or does it risk spreading talent too thin?
Finally, in a world overflowing with top-tier sports, fans in London and the south-east crave a victorious or thrilling local team. England has delivered neither, losing every TfL-area game since Blur's 'Country House' topped the charts. They've been obliterated, ground into submission, outmaneuvered, heartbroken by stars like Shaun Johnson and Stephen Crichton, and now deflated by Angus Crichton. Yet, the 60,812-strong Wembley crowd marked the largest Ashes attendance ever in England and the biggest for the national team outside a World Cup. While England haven't triumphed in the capital since the 1995 World Cup kickoff, Australia hasn't dropped one from Wembley to Watford, The Stoop to Stratford, since then. Their supporters filled the southern end's lower bowl, predicting the outcome. Wane aptly dubbed it 'torture.' What a paradox—massive support despite repeated agony. Is this enduring passion a testament to rugby league's soul, or just masochism? Tell us in the comments: Should England invest more in grassroots development to build a winning culture, or is the problem deeper in coaching and selection?
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