Rugby League fans are treated to a huge three-game Ashes series later this month as England and Australia go head to head for the first time in over 20 years.

Scheduled to showdown at Wembley Stadium, Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium and AMT Headingley, Shaun Wane's side takes on some of biggest names for down under as the Kangaroos look to win their first series in UK soil since 2003.

Here's our match preview on the fixture:

A rivalry reignited

England vs Australia clashes have always brought the crowds since the sides met for the first time in 1908 at Park Oval. 161 matches later and the two nations will go head to head once more as they reignite one of Rugby League's fiercest rivalries.

Focusing on Ashes meetings, Australia has faced an England or Great Britain side in 117 games spanning over 30 different series. The Northern Union won the first ever Ashes back in 1908/09 as they came back from a 22-22 draw to beat the Aussies 15-5 and 6-5 to clinch the series. It was the beginning of a successful period for the England side who only lost the Ashes twice before 1950, but a tide was beginning to turn for the Green and Gold.

After picking up series wins in 1954, 1963/64, 1966 and 1974 (three of which were played in Australia), the Kangaroos began a run of 15 straight match wins over Great Britain from 1978/79 to 1988 as the likes of Wally Lewis, Mal Meninga, Allan Langer, Steve Mortimer, Michael Cronin, Gene Miles, Garry Jack, and Brett Kenny were all part of Arthur Beetson side that reigned supreme. The Australians continued to pick up series wins up until the most recent series in 2003 when they secured wins in Wigan, Hull and Huddersfield under the captaincy of Darren Lockyer, but a win for England would seal their first series win over the tourists since the 1970 season.

Although this year's series begins in Wembley, the sold out third test at AMT Headingley promises to be a memorable finale. Leeds have hosted Ashes games 15 times dating back to 1921/22, and have seen England/Great Britain sides pick up wins on nine occasions.

Squad

* Since the squad announcement, Josh Addo-Carr and Bradman Best have replaced the injured Zac Lomax and Xavier Coates.

Last Five Clashes

2017 - England 0 Australia 6

2017 - England 4 Australia 18

2016 - England 18 Australia 36

2014 - England 12 Australia 16

2013 - England 20 Australia 28

Recent Results

England

England come into this Ashes test off the back of two series wins against Pacific sides Tonga and Samoa in 2023 and 2024. Shaun Wane has built his side into a dominant force on home soil as they've won all but one of their games in the last four years. The side's only loss came at the hands of Samoa in the World Cup semi finals, but a convincing 3-0 series win over rising international outfit Tonga and a redemption 2-0 series win over Samoa has set the side up to take on the Kangaroos later this week.

Last five internationals:

2024 - England 34 Samoa 16

2024 - England 34 Samoa 18

2024 - England 40 France 8

2023 - England 26 Tonga 4

2023 - England 14 Tonga 4

Australia

Headed up by Kevin Walters in 2025, Australia remain the best outfit in international rugby league with only four defeats in the last decade. The World Cup holders retained their title in 2022 on their last visit to the UK, as they saw off all the competition to beat Samoa at Old Trafford and complete a spotless campaign and now they return to continue that winning momentum. 

Under the eye of legend Mal Meninga, the Kangaroos have only lost once since becoming World Champions for a twelfth time; New Zealand secured a 30-0 victory in the final of the 2023 Pacific Championships. Meninga was in charge of the side 28 times since 2016, only losing three times, and made sure his side bounced back in 2024 as they beat the Kiwis and Tonga twice to be crowned Pacific Championship winners in Sydney.  Now Kevin Walters, who was capped 12 times by the Kangaroos and last headed up the Brisbane Broncos, takes the mantle as he looks to continue Meninga's success heading into a home World Cup.

Last five internationals:

2024 - Australia 20 Tonga 14 (Pacific Championships)

2024 - Australia 22 New Zealand 10 (Pacific Championships)

2024 - Australia 18 Tonga 0 (Pacific Championships)

2023 - Australia 0 New Zealand 30 (Pacific Championships)

2023 - Australia 36 New Zealand 18 (Pacific Championships)

Wembley tickets on sale now

Although tickets for the tests at AMT Headingley and Everton have sold out, there is still time to get your hands on tickets for the opening game of this year's Ashes at Wembley Stadium.