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The home side's offensive weaknesses were exposed and punished by a clinical Australian side as the visitors swept to a surprisingly comfortable victory in the first match of the Ashes.

The England coach's team had talked at length about their motivation going into the opening series for 22 years, and they were definitely full of endeavour at Wembley. Yet, in the crucial moments, it was the world champions who showed more calmness in front of a record attendance for an Ashes Test in the UK of over sixty thousand spectators.

Brilliant Display from Walsh

Guided by an outstanding showing in offense and defense from club star Walsh, Australia were worthy and comfortable winners in the opening Test of the three-game contest, meaning England must win at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium next Saturday to keep alive their hopes of a first Ashes win since the 1970s.

England will have to be significantly improved with the ball if they are to achieve that. On multiple occasions in the first half, the hosts found themselves in promising positions but they were failed to score for any tries. That was in no small part thanks to Walsh, who executed two superb interceptions.

Crucial Plays of the Match

The initial came as Farnworth seemed destined to put Young in for what would have been the opening try, then the fullback stopped Mikey Lewis as the break approached. By then, the Australians had gone ahead as Reece Walsh himself finished a wonderful play.

Nathan Cleary converted before adding a penalty on the brink of the interval to establish a eight-point advantage. It was a significant point, as was the score for Crichton soon after the restart which made it fourteen to nil in favour of the visitors. The hosts now had to cross the line thrice and that seemed to halt their momentum.

If there were any doubt about the winners, they were decisively settled with a quarter-hour to go. Munster's line break was supported by Angus Crichton, who pushed past Jack Welsby for Australia’s third try.

That made it 20-0 and there was added disappointment in the final minutes as Walsh completed another scintillating attack, exploiting a weary and clearly exhausted England defensive line for his second.

Final Score and Outlook

By then, home fans had begun to leave early and many did not see Clark's late try, which at least avoided England finishing scoreless. However, there are plenty of questions for the coach to answer going into what is now a do-or-die match next Saturday.

• Home Side: Welsby; Young, Farnworth, Wardle, Johnstone; Williams, Lewis; Havard, Clark, Lees, Bateman, Pearce-Paul, Knowles.
• Interchange: Bench players.
• Try: Daryl Clark.
• Goal: Lewis.

• Visitors: Walsh; Nawaqanitawase, Staggs, Shibasaki, Addo-Carr; Munster, Cleary; Carrigan, Grant, Fa’asuamaleaui, Crichton, Young, Yeo.
• Interchange: Dearden, Collins, Cotter, Koloamatangi.
• Scores: Reece Walsh (two), Angus Crichton (two).
• Goals: Cleary 5.