Welsby: England have the right tools to down Australia in the Ashes

Jack Welsby insists England have the right tools at their disposal to beat Australia during the upcoming ABK Beer Ashes Series.

The 24-year-old St Helens man is currently out with a long-term knee injury suffered during his side’s 34-4 loss at the hands of Hull KR in May.

But despite being told the recovery time would be 16 weeks, the full-back, who can also play at stand-off, wing and centre, was included in head coach Shaun Wane’s preparation squad for the upcoming series and Welsby is confident his recovery is ahead of schedule.

Having been named man of the match when Saints defeated Penrith Panthers 13-12 to win the 2023 World Club Challenge, Welsby knows what success against Australian opposition looks like.

And the multiple Super League winner feels results such as that, as well as Wigan’s win over the same opposition in the World Club Challenge a year later and recent English international triumphs, have helped build towards autumn’s Ashes battle.

“We know if we go out there and perform on the day, we’re more than capable of beating them,” he said.

“Us at St Helens beat Penrith over there, and they’ve got some good players who will probably be playing for Australia.

“Obviously Wigan have the done the same, and as England, we’ve beaten Tonga and Samoa in two really good test series.

“It all feels like it’s been building to this and we are giving ourselves the best opportunity.”

Beginning in Clapham - home of one of London’s largest populations of expat Aussies - and finishing at the iconic Wembley Stadium, the tour saw the Ashes Trophy travel through the capital’s streets aboard a classic London bus, giving fans and passers-by a glimpse of the 97-year-old trophy as it approached the Wembley arch.

The three-Test contest will see England face Australia on home soil for the first time since the 2017 Rugby League World Cup Final and will also be the first Ashes Series since 2003, when the Kangaroos last toured the UK under the Great Britain banner.

And claiming a first Ashes series victory since 1970 is at the forefront of Welsby’s mind.

“That’s all we’re focusing on,” he added. “We’ve had a good couple of meetings now with Waney [Shuan Wane] and the extended squad.

“Those conversations have been about how good would it feel to do it [beat Australia] and how we’re going to go about doing it.

“Everyone in the league will be concentrating on getting to Old Trafford and winning the Grand Final but in the back of all our minds, we’re all thinking that we need to be in the best possible shape to beat the Aussies when that time comes.”

Welsby was speaking during a launch event in London to mark 100 days to go until the 2025 Ashes Series begins.

The series kicks off at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 25th October, before heading to Liverpool a week later on Saturday 1st November where a sold-out Bramley-Moore Dock will take centre stage.

Leeds Rhinos’ Headingley Stadium is the venue for the third and final Test on Saturday 8th November which is also a sellout.

Over 60,000 tickets were sold on the first day of the priority sales window, which was a record-breaking figure for any Rugby League series launch, and ticket sales for Wembley are continuing at pace.

The prospect of playing in three such iconic venues was not lost on Welsby, who revealed being fit for the Ashes was helping drive his recovery.

He added: "It's a massive motivator for me to play for my country in the biggest Test series we've had for two decades. I definitely want to put myself in the frame to play."

Marking the milestone with a ‘100 days to go’ London Trophy Tour were Rugby League legend Martin Offiah MBE, current England captain George Williams, star player Jack Welsby, and Aussie comedian and Rugby Football League President, Adam Hills MBE.