LONDON — Australia outclassed England 26-6 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to begin the first rugby league Ashes series in 22 years.<\/p>\n
Fullback Reece Walsh, on debut, and second row Angus Crichton scored two tries each, and Nathan Cleary converted all four and nailed a penalty kick.<\/p>\n
Daryl Clark’s converted try in the 76th minute was nothing more than a consolation for England in front of an Ashes-record crowd of 60,812.<\/p>\n
The dominant Kangaroos picked up where they left off, having won the last series 3-0 in 2003. Australia last lost a series to England in 1970.<\/p>\n
\u201cOut of the blocks well,\u201d Australia coach Kevin Walters told the BBC. \u201cThat was going to be the key to success, making sure they gelled very quickly. They’re footballers so I didn’t think it would be too big of a job to get them together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another Kangaroos debutant, Mark Nawaqanitawase, played in Walsh for the first try and England did well to limit Australia to an 8-0 halftime lead.<\/p>\n
But the Kangaroos looked like they sealed the result five minutes into the new half when, following a 60-meter break by Walsh, Crichton scored his first try from 20 meters out.<\/p>\n
Crichton landed his second try after a Cameron Munster show and go, and Walsh piled on with a brilliant breakaway try with eight minutes left to cap a fine man-of-the-match display.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m probably happier with the two tries I stopped,\u201d Walsh told the BBC.<\/p>\n
The only blemish for the winners was captain Isaah Yeo failing a head injury assessment after colliding with Dom Young. He’ll miss the second test in Liverpool next weekend. They play the third test in Leeds.<\/p>\n
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