England's Quest for Rugby League Ashes Redemption Begins

With a five-year-old Shaun Wane watching from the sidelines, the last British team to deprive Australia of the rugby league Ashes was back in 1970, when Great Britain won 28-7 in Sydney. Now, Wane's England side aims to make up for almost a lifetime of hurt, facing a daunting task against the double-defending world champions, Australia. The team's captain, George Williams, expresses the significance of this moment, saying it would be "a great stepping stone" and "give us a lot of belief to go on and win the World Cup."

Key Takeaways:

• England last won the Ashes in 1970, with a 28-7 win in Sydney, thanks to a match-winning try from Roger Millward.
• The team has been hampered by various challenges, including false promises and pandemics, in their quest for Ashes redemption.
• Captain George Williams considers a history-making Ashes series win as the pinnacle of his career, ranking it above his previous Grand Final victories.
• England's chances of success are buoyed by their recent series wins over Tonga and Samoa, and the ascendency of new stars in the Super League.
• Australia returns as double-defending world champions, with head coach Kevin Walters selecting from the flagship NRL, a league that outstrips Super League on every scale.
• The England team is confident in their abilities, with Williams stating that Australia is "human just like us and this group is ready."

Statistics:

• The last time England won the Ashes was in 1970, with a 28-7 win.
• England's last Ashes series win was 53 years ago.
• Australia has not lost to a British side since 2006.
• The NRL continues to outstrip Super League in terms of competitiveness.
• England has recently won three consecutive series over Tonga and Samoa.

Sources:

• Journal article, "England's Quest for Rugby League Ashes Redemption Begins", RUGBY LEAGUE, Mark Staniforth, SHAUN Wane.