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According to skipper the England captain, the national team were delivered a harsh "reality check" as the Kangaroos won the Rugby League Ashes.

Australia's 14-4 triumph at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday gave them a unassailable 2-0 advantage, making the upcoming sold-out third Test a dead rubber.

The England team had come into the series harbouring hopes of sending the Kangaroos to their maiden Ashes setback since 1970.

Over the last 24 months, they had secured a dominant victory over Tonga and a 2-0 triumph over Samoa. But as the historic rivalry returned after a two-decade hiatus, the English were failed to advance further against the reigning title holders.

"We're not making excuses. There were enough sessions to execute properly on the pitch, and it's clear we've achieved that," the captain commented.

"Credit to Australia. They were excellent in defense. But we've got plenty to work on. We're probably not as good as we expected we were entering this series.

"So it's a necessary lesson for us, and there is much to enhance."

The Kangaroos 'Turn Up and Prove Ruthless'

After being heavily outplayed in an error-strewn display at the national stadium, Wane side's were markedly enhanced on Saturday back in the rugby league heartlands of England's north.

In an inspiring first half, the home side caused turnovers from the Australians and had dominant territory and possession, but crucially did not make it count on the scoreboard.

Tellingly, England have now scored just one try over two full matches, with player Daryl Clark scoring late on in the loss in London.

In contrast, Australia have scored six so far - and when mistakes began to creep into the hosts' play just after the break, it was a case of certainty, they were going to be made to pay.

Initially Cameron Munster scored, and then so too did Hudson Young. From being level at four-all, England were down by double digits.

"Proud for the bulk of the game. I thought for most of the match we were good," said Wane.

"The switch off for 10 minutes after half-time damaged us immensely. Munster's try was soft and should not be scored in a international fixture.

"The team is heartbroken. So proud the squad had a go but so disappointed with that post-interval, which proved costly dearly."

While the next World Cup in Australia and Papua New Guinea is just under 12 months away, England's short-term goal will be on trying to regain respect, preventing a 3-0 sweep and addressing the errors that irritated the coach.

"I wanted to see additional intensity thrown at the opposition. My aim was us to maintain momentum in the game - we fell short last week," added the veteran coach.

"We managed this week. The issue is a minor refinements in our attack where we could have put them under more pressure. It's essential to stop each of [tries] more effectively.

"Fair play to the Kangaroos - that is no slight to them. They perform and are merciless when they get a chance, and we failed to be, but in defense we can and should do enhance.

"The Australians will be obsessed to win all three Tests and we need to be just as focused to make it 2-1. I've told that to the squad. This must become our main aim. It will be a challenging week but whoever desires it the most will get the win next week."

Intensity Needs to Elevate in Super League

The English side have participated in a comparable number of Test matches to Australia since the previous global tournament in 2022.

Yet the coach thinks that the strength of the NRL - and quality of the State of Origin matches between New South Wales and QLD - offer a superior foundation for competing at the top of the global stage than what is available in the Europe.

The England coach commented that the hectic domestic league fixture schedule allowed no time for him to work with his team during the campaign, which will only pose further questions around how England can close the divide to the Kangaroos before travelling to Oceania in 2026.

"They participate in a large number of Test matches in their league," Wane stated.

"We have 10-15 a year. It's crucial really intense games to enhance the competition and increase our chances of winning these types of matches.

"It was impossible to even practice with the squad. There was no chance to got on the field in the campaign and despite having the complete support of everyone in Super League.

"I understand in the position of the head coaches that need to win games. The league is that tight. It's unfortunate but that's not the cause we got beaten today."