England saved their best for last to repel a fierce challenge from Australia’s Wheelaroos in a competitive and entertaining first Ashes Test on the Gold Coast.
The Green and Golds were sniffing a famous victory against England’s world champions when Corey Cannane scored a brilliant long-range try midway through the second half to take a 28-26 lead.
But England responded impressively with five unanswered tries in the last 23 minutes, two of them to the Halifax Panthers flyer Rob Hawkins who ended with a hat-trick and also landed four conversions for a personal tally of 20 points.
Nathan Collins, the Leeds Rhinos pivot who had opened the scoring in the second minute, played the key role in re-establishing England’s lead with a classy pass which sent the London Roosters wing Mason Billington clear down the left.
Collins converted from wide out, his fourth successful kick of the day to take his own tally to 16 points, and nine minutes later a brilliant piece of play from Jack Brown sent his Halifax club team-mate and Test debutant Finlay O’Neill over for a try his performance richly deserved.
Hawkins’ first conversion extended England’s lead to 38-28 and Seb Bechara, who like Brown made a major impression off the interchange bench, then surged clear down the right for the eighth England try which secured the win.
Hawkins rounded things off in style with his second and third tries in the last three minutes - one from a slick handling move, the other a thrilling dash from halfway.
England seemed to be heading for a much more comfortable win when they took a 16-0 lead inside eight minutes with Collins burrowing over from close range for the opener, Joe Coyd surging through for the second, and Hawkins collecting his first with a stunning burst of speed to collect a perfectly weighted kick by Collins.
But the Wheelaroos hit back through Zac Schumacher and although England re-established their 16-point cushion when a superb long pass from Collins sent captain Lewis King in at the left corner, the home team gained fresh belief with tries from Dan Anstey just before half-time and Schumacher’s second in the second minute after the break.
Collins gave England a little breathing space at 26-18 with another opportunist finish but the Aussies offered further evidence of their improvement since the last World Cup with Anstey’s second try followed by Cannane’s individual effort – all highly positive signs before they host the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in the autumn of 2026.
The teams meet again in the second and final Test at the same venue on Sunday.
England: Tries – Nathan Collins 2, Joe Coyd, Rob Hawkins 3, Lewis King, Mason Billington, Finlay O’Neill, Seb Bechara; Goals – Nathan Collins 4, Rob Hawkins 4.
Australia: Tries – Zac Schumacher 2, Dan Anstey 2, Corey Cannane; Goals – Zac Schumacher 4.
