With the Rugby League Ashes set to become a more permanent event in the international calendar, Australia head coach Kevin Walters has thrown his support behind the idea, following the success of this year’s series.
The Kangaroos boss has guided his side to a series whitewash, after wins at Wembley, Everton and Headingley. Whilst neither side were particularly at their best, just having such a prestigious and historic series back in the game has been a huge positive.
Troy Grant, the chairman of the IRL, has said this week that he will be making sure that the series returns, with a look ahead to 2028 or 2029 as to when it will next be contested.
Regardless of whether Walters is still in the Australian coaching seat by that time remains to be seen, but regardless he fully supports the idea of the three-Test competition continuing on.
In a pre-match interview with the BBC, Walters gave his thoughts on how he through the series had gone, and advocated for it’s return.
“I’d like to do it every year, if we could,” said Walters: “It’s a great series, certainly with the rivalry there.
“All the nonsense about the English side [underperforming], I can tell you our boys have been really, really sore after games. They’re tough games, good Test match-fashioned games.”
In addition to the World Cup and the Pacific Championships, the former Catalans Dragons and Brisbane Broncos boss is a huge fan of the Ashes series being added to the international calendar once again.
He said: “I’d like to think we can continue this on the world stage and get it back to like it used to be. Every two years there’s an Ashes series, whether it’s here or in Australia.
“It’s a great series, a great concept and the players love playing in it. It’s what they play the game for, a lot of them.”
Australia coach defends England amid “unfair criticism” over Rugby League Ashes performances
As he mentioned, England have been under heaps of criticism for their efforts, with head coach Shaun Wane receiving the brunt of it.
However, despite what has turned out to be a comfortable series win for the Kangaroos, Walters knows that the fixtures were a lot tougher than what the scorelines and the post-match reactions suggest.
Asked what he though of England’s efforts, he said: “I’ve been very impressed with them. There’s been a lot of unfair criticism around the team, I believe.
“Our guys have defended well, but also, at times, our attack has been stuffed out by the good English defence, so it’s been a really good series, a tough series, and one that didn’t really surprise me, either.
“I’ve played over here and I’ve coached over here, and you guys are a tough footy nation, and you never give anything away and it’s always hard.”
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Eric T Cat
November 9, 2025 at 7:19 pm
Realistically Shaun Wanr has coached England in three serious competitive matches, two in this series, and the World Cup Semi Final versus Samoa. He lost all three. Get rid, get rid now! When it is on the line, he doesn’t have it.
Only those with vested interests ober national interests, only those interested in pursuing the status quo, and I don’t mean following them on tour, would persist with Shaun Wane. So as this is the RFL heks guaranteed to keep his job.
Team sheet, for the World Cup, you can start filling in the names now. Matty Ashton, wherever he wants to play, 6. George Williams,they have credit in the bank, whereas Jake Connor and Liam Marshall can book their holidays along with most of the Hull squads.