‘Torture for me’ – Shaun Wane picks biggest disappointment from Ashes loss as Reece Walsh plan outlined

England head coach Shaun Wane has picked out the thing that disappoints him most from his side’s loss in the first Test of the rugby league Ashes.

The England boss also called for greater pressure to be applied to Australia’s Reece Walsh with the debutant full-back running away with the Man of the Match award as he scored two tries and made almost 250 metres.

That was something that England captain George Williams echoed with Walsh’s performance proving one of the major differences on what was an anti-climactic start, at least from an England perspective, to the first rugby league Ashes series since 2002.

Speaking post-match, head coach Shaun Wane was open when asked about his overwhelming feelings following the 26-6 loss.

“Very, very disappointed. Really, really disappointed,” he exclaimed.

“I really wanted everybody to see the best of our players. The players, they’re a tight bunch, they’re a really good group of lads, very talented, but we just undersold ourselves today and that’s torture for me.”

‘Makes me even sadder’ – Shaun Wane’s honest assessment after first Ashes Test

Those who turned out at Wembley did get to see a show but unfortunately for England, it was Australia’s number one who was conducting most of it.

On Walsh, Wane said: “Yeah, he’s a great player, he’s done it all year for Brisbane and he proved it again today, but we need to put him under more pressure. We didn’t do that, but he’s a fantastic player.”

How exactly they’ll apply that extra pressure is yet to be seen but it’s one of numerous things that need to change ahead of the second Test at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, a game that has already sold out.

Over 50,000 will watch that one but a record number of fans watched Saturday’s opener at Wembley with the official attendance of 60,812 a rugby league Ashes record for a game in England.

Whilst it showed the game to be in a good state, it was another reminder to Wane of those who had been left disappointed.

“Yeah, it is strong and that makes me even sadder you saying that,” he responded when asked if the attendance shows the strength of the sport.

“We wanted to really make them proud today, and put a performance on and really challenge Australia. We so badly wanted to do that, and that’s why we’re so upset.”

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