Credit runs out, now bring in Brian McDermott: England's Ashes talking points after Australia Test whitewash

England never led and managed just two tries in 240 minutes of rugby, against a visiting team who didn’t need to hit top gear. Inevitably, there’ll now be an inquest into England’s disappointing performance and especially Shaun Wane’s role as coach ahead of next year’s World Cup. Here’s some reflections on an underwhelming Test series.

1: Credit in the bank is worthless. Wane dug a hole before the series when he spoke about certain players having ‘credits in the bank’. He’s probably no different to any other coach, but it wasn’t wise for the national team boss to say it out loud. Selection on past performances or reputation wasn’t going to win the Ashes and some of the 24 players in Wane’s squad looked out of place and out of time. Expecting players who have struggled for form all year to suddenly perform on the biggest stage is unrealistic and inviting trouble.

2: In form, out of the squad. It makes matters worse when players with good form are left out. As Man of Steel, Leeds Rhinos half-back Jake Connor was the best English player in Super League throughout 2025, but it was clear from early on he wouldn’t feature in the Ashes squad. That was a major mistake. Explaining Connor’s omission, Wane said it was “more about his form than anything else”, which made no sense. The coach’s comments suggesting Man of Steel meant nothing to him and he didn’t know who was in the Super League Dream Team were disrespectful to both honours.

3: Public demand. A total of 132,418 fans watched the three Ashes Tests, which shows there is an appetite for international rugby league. Unfortunately, that’s not shared by the clubs who ultimately run the sport. Wane got a lot wrong, but he wasn’t given much of a chance. England didn’t have a warm-up or mid-season game - which may be the case again before the World Cup - and the players don’t get enough time together. Whoever gets the job after Wane, whenever that is, will face the same issues, unless something changes at the very top.

4: If not Wane, then who? The job could be combined with a club role and Wakefield Trinity’s Daryl Powell would be an excellent choice as England coach, though - at 60 - it may have passed him by. Paul Rowley (St Helens), Matt Peet (Wigan Warriors) and Willie Peters (Hull KR) also have strong credentials.

The head-coach probably needs to be Europe-based, but - with most of the opposition and a large cohort from England’s squad playing Down Under - NRL involvement on the staff is a must.

In which case, Brian McDermott, now an assistant at Gold Coast Titans, is the outstanding option. A four-time Grand Final winner, his record in play-offs, middle-eights or knock-out games with Leeds Rhinos is an astonishing 41 wins from 52 games (80.76 per cent). McDermott’s greatest strength is his ability to come up with game plans to win big matches when his side are underdogs. Exactly when England need.

5: Bunker mentality. It’s not just what happens in the 80 minutes that counts during an Ashes - or any - Test series. The Kangaroos understood that and England didn’t. Though they held a public event in London before the Wembley opener, England shut up shop when they headed north. There was a visit to Everton’s stadium on the eve of game two, but the home nation didn’t set foot in Yorkshire until the third encounter. That was a missed opportunity, the obvious implication being Headingley was sold out, so there was no need to bother. Australia, by contrast, were keen to meet people and make new fans and deserve great credit for that, even if - in performance terms - they weren’t one of the great touring teams.