Martin Offiah and Adam Hills have urged England to shed their inferiority complex and harness home advantage when they face Australia in the first Ashes Test at Wembley on Saturday. The rugby league legend and the Australian TV presenter rode an Ashes-branded bus around London, recreating Offiah’s 1994 promotion, to promote the clash.
Offiah, who scored more than 500 senior tries, played in four Ashes campaigns and lost them all 2-1. He believes England must not treat Australia as gods. “Back in my day, you knew every two years we were playing against Australia in an Ashes series. But hardly anyone’s ever played against Australia,” he said.
Hills, a world para tennis champion living in London, said England should take advantage of Australia’s inexperience. “There will be a whole bunch of Australian players who haven’t played against England, who haven’t played at Wembley,” he said. “England have got to take advantage of that.”
Offiah added that many English players have faced Australian clubs in the NRL or World Club Challenges. “There’s a host of players, George Williams and Jack Welsby, for starters, who’ve starred in the NRL,” he said. “Australia like to write their own narrative; they gloss over that Penrith Panthers have lost three World Club Challenges.”
The match is the first Ashes Test at Wembley in over 20 years. Offiah described it as “a moment in time” and a test of England’s mettle.
