England suffer Ashes whitewash to Australia after Headingley loss: here's what happened

Trailing 12-8 at half-time, having been 12-0 down, England had Australia on the ropes for 20 minutes in the second half, but couldn’t get their noses in front and the Kangaroos ran in three tries in the final quarter to silence a 19,500 capacity crowd at AMT Headingley. It was a familiar story.

There was nothing wrong with England’s spirit and they defended strongly for much of the game, but it’s hard to win rugby league matches without scoring tries and coach Shaun Wane’s men managed only two in 240 minutes of rugby. Their attack was painfully predictable, the halves struggled to create anything and nothing they did - other than a moment of magic from hooker Jez Litten - really troubled the Kangaroos’ defence.

This isn’t a great Australia team and they haven’t played particularly well, but they are a class above England. Early on it looked like being a walkover and England did well to be in the game at the break.

Player of the series Cameron Munster’s superb looping pass sent Josh Addo-Carr over for the opener after just five minutes. On 27, player of the series Cameron Munster dabbed a superb grubber behind the hosts’ line and Hudson Young did brilliantly to get there ahead of Mikey Lewis.

The Hull KR half-back came on after just 11 minutes for the injured AJ Brimson and, playing out of position at full-back, had a tough afternoon. However, when England’s second try of the series finally arrived, after 115 minutes of huffing and puffing, it was an absolute belter.

Litten, the Hull KR hooker, broke up the middle, dummied past full-back Reece Walsh and put in a perfect low kick which George Williams did really well to run on to and touch down. Harry Smith added the extras.

England had an escape before half-time when Lewis couldn’t take Kotoni Staggs’ high kick on the last and Lindsay Collins managed to grab the ball, but grounded it on the line, as spotted by video referee Tom Grant. On the final play of the half, after the hooter sounded, Young reefed the ball from Herbie Farnsworth and Smith took the two, after the video official rejected the Aussies’ captain’s challenge.

It was game on and, after Addo-Carr had an early touchdown ruled out for offside from Munster’s kick, England took it to the visitors. The Aussies seemed rattled, there were several skirmishes, but the breakthrough wouldn’t come. Eventually, a charge down from Smith’s kick, plus a couple of penalties, changed the momentum and man of the match Harry Grant went over from acting-half to put the game beyond England. Walsh bagged a couple of late tries as the hosts ran out of steam and Nathan Cleary finished with five goals from as many attempts. England received six penalties to the Aussies’ four.

England: Brimson, Burgess, Newman, Farnworth, Johnstone, Williams, H Smith, McMeeken, Litten, Lees, Watkins, Pearce-Paul, Knowles. Subs Lewis, Walmsley, Smithies, Oledzki.

Australia: Walsh, Nawaqanitawase, Staggs, Shibasaki, Addo-Carr, Munster, Cleary, Carrigan, Grant, Fa'asuamaleaui, Crichton, H Young, Yeo. Subs Dearden, Collins, Cotter, Koloamatangi.

Referee: Grant Atkins (Australia). Attendance: 19,500.