Walsh MOM freak show on Test debut as Kangaroos crush England in Ashes opener<\/a><\/p>\nMan of the match Reece Walsh during a lap of honour \u2014 minus his shorts.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
WHAT NOW AFTER ISAAH YEO HIA DISASTER?<\/p>\n
Champion lock Isaah Yeo\u2019s Ashes series was just seven minutes and 35 seconds old when he clashed heads with England winger Dom Young, sending him off for an HIA. He was ruled out with a category 1 concussion and will also miss the second Test.<\/p>\n
So \u2014 what now?
Harry Grant captained the side in Yeo\u2019s absence, and did so with typical aplomb. Unless coach Kevin Walters wants to follow the lead of the Queensland State of Origin side this season and make a snap switch to Cameron Munster, Grant will likely lead the side as Australia tries to take an unassailable 2-0 lead next Sunday.<\/p>\n
Reuben Cotter was Yeo\u2019s replacement at lock and produced a typically robust performance, clocking an extended 59 minutes due to the skipper\u2019s early exit. He may well hold the No.13 spot for the second Test, unless Walters wants to replicate some more of Yeo\u2019s ball-playing nous with the middle back-rower.<\/p>\n
That would be difficult with the squad players at his disposal unless he pulled the trigger on a hyper-aggressive move: playing Cameron Munster at lock, with either Tom Dearden or Mitchell Moses at five-eighth alongside halfback Nathan Cleary.<\/p>\n
More likely he will look to his other forwards, though the solutions are imperfect. Prop Lindsay Smith has played a Test before, yet his inclusion would mean three front-rowers on the bench, alongside Lindsay Collins and Keaon Koloamatangi. Rookie backrower Jacob Preston could instead be set a debut off the bench when he was probably envisioned more as a squad pick; the rising Bulldogs star can play both edge and middle.<\/p>\n
The other option is versatile Raiders ace Ethan Strange, fresh from his Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year win.<\/p>\n
Yeo OFF after early concussion scare | 00:30<\/p>\n
REF LETS POMS GET AWAY WITH MURDER \u2014 BUT AUSSIE IS COMING<\/p>\n
English referee Liam Moore allowed England to play VERY slow at the ruck in the first Test. \u201cExtraordinarily slow,\u201d Fox League expert and former Kangaroo Greg Alexander said.<\/p>\n
The Australians seemed to get far less leeway; though perhaps they were just being more respectful of his barked orders to move away after completing a tackle. The English made the ruck as stodgy as can be to hamper the star-studded Kangaroos.<\/p>\n
\u201cFar more lenient at the play the ball. Far more lenient,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe hands on the ball and the twisting of the players on the ground. Just slowing everything down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yet Australian grand final referee Grant Atkins is coming in for the second Test, potentially changing the flow of the game entirely.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe interpretation, you\u2019d have to believe \u2014 with Atkins in charge, locked and loaded for next week \u2014 it will be different,\u201d Voss said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I don\u2019t think it will be to the benefit of England. It may make their assignment harder, they have gotten away with a bit today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not Australian bias, this is just calling what we see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Less that 10 minutes after those comments, England prop Matty Lees was given a warning for holding down Walsh in a tackle, then Herbie Farnworth was finally pinged for doing exactly the same to Josh Addo-Carr on the next play.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said, \u2018I gave you a chance then\u2019 … He could have said, \u2018I\u2019ve given you a chance for 63 minutes and you haven\u2019t got the message! So I\u2019m having to blow a penalty\u2019\u201d Voss said.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019I have looked the other way for 63 minutes!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Yet a few minutes later, Moore declined to blow a penalty for a ruck infringement when two players were laying all over Tino Fa\u2019asuamaleaui as he tried to play the ball, forcing a knock-on. Lees was still pulling Fa\u2019asuamaleaui\u2019s jersey as he fell.<\/p>\n
Crichton scores double at Wembley | 00:42<\/p>\n
KIDNAP THE VIDEO REF AND BRING HIM TO THE NRL!<\/p>\n
Walsh\u2019s opening try may well have been disallowed in the NRL. Decoy runner Hudson Young\u2019s feet clipped those of Mikey Lewis on his way through the defensive line and the England halfback\u2019s fall \u2014 with accompanying theatrics \u2014 seemingly prevented him from getting a fair shot at tackling Walsh<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought the foot contact was enough, I thought he might have pulled that up,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot interested, the video referee. All good!\u201d<\/p>\n
It might have been an instance, though Lewis seemed to be impeded, where the video referee erred against rewarding a player who was clearly trying to milk a penalty.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know what I think played against Mikey Lewis there? I think it was too theatrical,\u201d Voss said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the dive … he flung himself into the ground. I think if he basically just fell naturally, if you know what I mean here … I think it\u2019s the dive. Just too elaborate. He said, \u2018No, you\u2019ve played for that\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The video referee was Jack Smith, who had already endeared himself by overruling a knock-on against Walsh on a play-the-ball. Walsh was deemed by Moore to have had no balance and control while playing the ball; Smith swiftly found that he was only off-balance due to a downward push to the head from England forward John Bateman.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake that bunker official and kidnap him, bound and gag him, and he\u2019s off to Australia to the NRL!\u201d Voss said.<\/p>\n
Herbie stops Walsh’s Wembley magic show | 00:31<\/p>\n
AUSSIES DETERMINED TO CLEAN UP THEIR ACT<\/p>\n
Highlights aside, it wasn\u2019t quite a vintage Kangaroos performance. <\/p>\n
They made seven errors in the first half, with two from Raiders backrower Hudson Young, and 11 for the match.<\/p>\n
Cleary said that it was an obvious area that needed attention heading into the second Test at Everton.<\/p>\n
\u201cToo many errors,\u201d Cleary told the BBC.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously got a lot of skill, our team, and trying to put on plays all the time. But I thought in terms of how we connected as a group and defended well, that was the most important thing \u2014 so we want to build on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Aussies looked entirely comfortable in defence, barring a late lapse that allowed England hooker Daryl Clark to score with three minutes remaining. It was cold comfort for the home side and a little reminder to the visitors.<\/p>\n
We were really scrappy, I think competed 70 per cent in that first half, which isn\u2019t good enough for Test footy. But what I did like was that gritty attitude,\u201d two-try backrower Angus Crichton said of the ball control.<\/p>\n
\u201cDisappointed we let in one try there at the end but we worked hard for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reece Walsh and Harry Grant of Australia celebrate after winning the first Test.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
CHANGES FOR ENGLAND \u2014 INCLUDING BRIMSON?<\/p>\n
England ended up in the unusual position of having their back-up hooker play longer minutes than their starter. Daryl Clark clocked 36 minutes with the No.9 on his back, but Jez Litten earned 51 minutes after impressing when brought on, including with an eye-catching 40\/20.<\/p>\n
Captain George Williams was excellent at five-eighth and Super League grand final man of the match Lewis did enough to be retained, but there may be a chance at hooker and also the bench, with Litten touted to start and NRL star AJ Brimson given a debut as the bench utility.<\/p>\n
Having switched international allegiance after previously playing Origin for Queensland, Brimson was passed over for the first Test.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think they need to change their starting six and seven, I wouldn\u2019t be doing that,\u201d Voss said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut whether they feel they then do two genuine dummy-halves … does Clark get the spot next week? Would you go with Litten? Could you give (Harry) Smith a chance? <\/p>\n
\u201cAJ Brimson\u2019s another one. If you\u2019re gonna pick AJ Brimson and bring him across…\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexander interjected: \u201cI\u2019m getting him out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Voss: \u201cYou\u2019re playing him as your 14?\u201d<\/p>\n
Alexander: \u201cYep. You play AJ Brimson.\u201d<\/p>\n
England captain George Williams runs at Australia’s Angus Crichton.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
WILLIAMS IMPRESSES AS NRL COMEBACK LOOMS<\/p>\n
Williams is headed back to the NRL with the Dolphins in 2027, to partner outstanding young halfback Isaiya Katoa.<\/p>\n
It was a signing that raised some eyebrows, with the English half last featuring in Australia back in 2021, before returning to England with homesickness.<\/p>\n
He did not enter the Ashes in great form from the Super League season but delivered as his nation\u2019s skipper despite the result.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m surprised, but pleasantly surprised, with the form of George Williams,\u201d Alexander said late in the first half.<\/p>\n
\u201cWarrington didn\u2019t have a great year, George didn\u2019t have his best season, but as England captain he\u2019s probably been the best player on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams will be 31 when he arrives at the Dolphins but seemingly still has good football in him. <\/p>\n
Another big tick for the Dolphins was the outing of Morgan Knowles, a quality backrower signed on a two-year deal for next season after a decade with St Helens. He\u2019s still just 28.<\/p>\n
\u201cMorgan Knowles has been really good for England,\u201d Voss said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Reece Walsh dazzled, Isaah Yeo lasted seven minutes and a pair of England stars \u2014 and the video…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":240615,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[19974,99978,143715,64,63,689,143714,143712,143513,143716,143707,78637,2090,4567,24572,143533,141428,143719,44328,162,4591,1208,143709,143721,141747,143724,2057,48815,763,122333,11288,143706,121453,113426,83670,28081,24270,143723,5094,90049,4592,28066,4451,141752,3194,143528,70385,141429,22326,761,762,3583,158,677,143708,83950,143722,701,13391,143718,143710,130928,53271,85,143711,143717,7663,104568,776,143713,143720,36719,143535,143538,775],"class_list":["post-240614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-andrew-voss","tag-angus-crichton","tag-attention-heading","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-bias","tag-australian-grand-final","tag-australian-skipper","tag-back-up-hooker","tag-ball-playing-nous","tag-bench-utility","tag-british-broadcasting-corporation","tag-cameron-munster","tag-cold-comfort","tag-concussion-scarerugby","tag-daryl-clark","tag-decoy-runner","tag-defensive-line","tag-dolphins","tag-dylan-edwards","tag-england","tag-england-captain","tag-england-captain-george","tag-english-referee","tag-erratic-mega-talent","tag-europe","tag-form-slump","tag-fox-league","tag-george-williams","tag-grand-final","tag-grand-final-man","tag-grand-final-performances","tag-grand-final-referee","tag-grant-atkins","tag-herbie-farnworth","tag-home-side","tag-hyper-aggressive-move","tag-isaah-yeo","tag-jack-smith","tag-jacob-preston","tag-john-bateman","tag-josh-addo-carr","tag-kangaroos-v","tag-kevin-walters","tag-liam-moore","tag-match-honours","tag-mikey-lewis","tag-mitchell-moses","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-northern-europe","tag-nrl","tag-oceania","tag-outstanding-young-halfback","tag-player-ratings","tag-quality-backrower","tag-queensland","tag-reece-walsh","tag-rookie-backrower","tag-ruck-infringement","tag-rugby-league-ashes-live","tag-rugby-league-field","tag-sports","tag-squad-pick","tag-squad-players","tag-talking-points","tag-tim-elbra","tag-tom-dearden","tag-trademark-kamikaze","tag-two-try-backrower","tag-two-year-deal","tag-video-referee","tag-wembleyrugby-league","tag-world-stage"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=240614"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240614\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/240615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=240614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=240614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=240614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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