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Live sport on SN this weekendMission accomplished: Kangaroos complete Ashes sweep
Ian Chadband, AAP • November 9th, 2025 7:06 am
Josh Addo-Carr flies over for Australia's first try in the 30-8 win over England in the third Test | Photo: AP
The Kangaroos have completed their successful Ashes mission with a three-Test whitewash of England after finishing the tour with a Harry Grant-inspired 30-8 victory in a thunderous affair at Headingley.
Returning captain Isaah Yeo had demanded a final-Test flourish after a couple of wins at Wembley and Everton which had featured starbursts of brilliance but too many errors.
And having been shown faith by coach Kevin Walters to complete the job in style, his strongest 17 duly delivered with a five-try display -- but it was perhaps a flattering score in what was, at times, a titanic contest.
The world champions had again not been quite at their supreme best as they had to subdue a fired-up home side with some top-drawer defence and five hard-earned tries from Josh Addo-Carr, Hudson Young, Grant and a brace from Reece Walsh.
It was the best and most intense of the three Tests in the return of the Ashes after 22 years, and the world champions had to show serious resolve to counter a ferocious effort from the desperate hosts.
But inspired by the magnificent player-of-the-match Grant and player-of-the series Cameron Munster, there was never any doubt about Australia wrapping up a 15th successive Test match win against a British team, a record that now stretches back 19 years.
Australia made a jet-propelled start, with a lovely, looping cut-put pass from Munster in the fifth minute allowing Addo-Carr to scuttle over in typical Foxx fashion in the left corner.
England's woes continued when AJ Brimson hobbled off with an early shoulder injury, but the hosts still managed to cause problems with Mark Nawaqanitawase having to make a couple of key defensive plays behind his own line.
The hosts thought they'd scored halfway through the opening period when Nawaqanitawase, again called into last-ditch action, knocked on behind the line and Kallum Watkins appeared to pounce, but after an interminable review, no-try was the ruling.
Minutes later, a searing break from Lindsay Collins set up another spell of Aussie pressure, and another visionary grubber from Munster put Hudson Young in for a superb score.
England hadn't scored a try for close on two hours of rugby since Daryl Clark had gone over for a late consolation at Wembley.
But at last they broke the drought in the 33rd minute when hooker Jez Litten broke through, booted the ball on and captain George Williams won the chase to the ball to bring the 20,000 full-house alive.
A penalty just before the break for Harry Smith after a ball-steal from Young brought the hosts to within four points at 12-8 down at the break.
Addo-Carr thought he'd grabbed his second score soon after the break but he was ruled fractionally offside by referee Grant Atkins when he latched on to another floated Munster kick and went over.
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England, relieved to be spared, then launched perhaps the 10 most dramatic minutes of the match, full of thunderous attacking from the home side, terrific resilient defence on the ropes from the visitors and a couple of spiteful free-for-alls featuring most of the players on the pitch.
At the end of the mayhem and with the crowd at fever pitch, the visitors had survived and like true world champions, hit back ferociously with Grant eventually skipping over from dummy half to put them 10-points clear.
Now beginning to tire, it was then signal for Australia to start to flow and Walsh, who had not had the greatest of games, eventually turned it on in the last 12 minutes, getting lucky to score off a rebound for his first try and then putting the exclamation mark on the series with a brilliant individual second.
