With the series already decided, England and Australia were playing for pride, the former hoping to save face with a victory in the final game of the series while Australia were looking for the whitewash against the old enemy.

Joe Burgess and Harry Newman were brought into the side by in place of Dom Young and Jake Wardle while Isaah Yeo was back in for Australia after missing last week due to a failed head injury impact in the opening game.

A packed AMT Headingley was the venue for the third and final test but those in attendance knew that England would need to take another great jump forward to take the win against an Australian side who had not been forced out of the low gears in their two wins.

Australia dominated the opening exchanges, and it took just five minutes for them to open the scoring with the ball being moved wide left by Cameron Munster who floated the pass to Josh Addo-Carr who then evaded the tackle and dive over. Nathan Cleary converted in off the near post for 6-0, England’s prospects already looking bleak.

After weathering the early storm England started to make a little headway. Back-to-back repeat sets in the Australia twenty resulted in Kallum Watkins chasing a George Williams grubber and despite some confusion in the Australia defence, Watkins was unable to ground.

The England resurgence was short-lived when on twenty-six Hudson Young chased down a pinpoint grubber into the England goal to slide, evade the England defender and gather to score. Cleary was on target again for a 12-0 lead.

A delightful try from England on thirty-three got them right back in the game, Jez Litten breaking the line and sprinting thirty metres to the Australian thirty metre line before putting in a grubber kick which was chased down, caught, and grounded by skipper Williams. Harry Smith added the conversion from in front of the sticks to half the lead.

On the half time hooter England were awarded a penalty for a ball steal, and despite a captain’s challenge from Australia the penalty stood and Smith kicked a second goal of the afternoon to reduce the arrears to four points.

Despite being second best for the majority of the half, England were still in the game at the interval, just one try adrift.

Much to England’s relief, Addo-Carr had a second try ruled out on forty-three minutes after the referee ruled no try for offside at the kick and there was no video evidence to prove that the chaser was onside.

On fifty minutes England forced back-to-back goal line dropouts, the pressure well and truly on Australia. The pressure released when a Williams grubber to the corner was too strong for the chasing Burgess.

A brainstorm from Mikey Lewis on the last tackle, coming out of the line from an offside position, gifted Australia a chance to seal the win and on the second tackle Harry Grant stretched over the line too ground by the uprights. Cleary was on target again, the game now slipping from England’s grasp.

On sixty-seven a failed intercept allowed Reece Walsh to pick up the loose ball and go in unopposed for the simplest of winning tries. Cleary made it four from four, the Aussies home and hosed.

Walsh got a second try with two minutes left on the clock after taking the ball at first receiver from the back of the scrum, stepping off his left field and going through a massive gap in the England defence. Cleary made it five from five, England humiliated again.

A three-game series win for the Australians serves as humiliation for England their coach Shaun Wane. England had periods of dominance, but they simply couldn’t get over the whitewash against a superior defence, and in the end they were comprehensively beaten in all three encounters. England put themselves forward to be judged against the best side in the world and were found wanting, there is a lot of work to do before the 2026 World Cup if they are to be competitive.

England: Brimson, Young, Farnworth, Wardle, Johnstone, Williams (T), Smith (G 2/2), McMeeken, Litten, Lees, Pearce-Paul, Watkins, Knowles. Subs: Lewis, Walmsley, Smithies, Oledzki. 18^th Man: Trout. 

Australia: Walsh (2T), Nawaqanitawase, Staggs, Shibasaki, Addo-Carr (T), Munster, Cleary (G 5/5), Collins, Grant (T), Fa’asuamaleaui, Crichton, Young (T), Yeo. Subs: Deardon, Smith, Cotter, Kilomatangi. 18^th Man: .

Half-Time: 8-12.  

Full-Time: 8-30.  

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 0-10, 12-0, 4-12, 6-12, 8-12 : HT: 8-16, 8-18, 8-22, 8-24, 8-28, 8-30 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Australia.

Referee: Grant Atkins.

Attendance: 19,000.