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As stated by skipper George Williams, the national team were delivered a stark "reality check" as Australia clinched the Rugby League Ashes.

The Kangaroos' 14-4 victory at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday gave them a commanding series edge, making the upcoming final match in Leeds a academic contest.

The national squad had entered the series dreaming of sending Australia to their first Ashes series defeat since the 1970s.

Recently, they had enjoyed a clean sweep over the Tongan side and a 2-0 triumph over the Samoan team. But as the Rugby League Ashes resumed after a two-decade hiatus, the English were failed to make the leap against the reigning title holders.

"We're not making excuses. We've had enough sessions to execute properly on the pitch, and I don't think we've achieved that," the captain commented.

"Full marks to the Kangaroos. They were strong in defense. But we've got plenty to work on. We're probably not as good as we believed we were going into this series.

"This serves as a good lesson for us, and there is much to enhance."

The Kangaroos 'Show Up and Prove Ruthless'

After being comprehensively defeated in an sloppy showing at Wembley, Wane side's were significantly better on Saturday back in the traditional strongholds of England's north.

During an energetic first half, the home side caused turnovers from the Kangaroos and had all the field position and ball control, but unfortunately did not convert opportunities on the points tally.

Notably, the English team have now scored just a single touchdown over two full matches, with St Helens hooker the forward scoring late on in the defeat in London.

Conversely, Australia have scored six in two games - and when mistakes began to appear in the hosts' play just after the break, it was a case of when, not if, they were going to be heavily penalized.

First Cameron Munster scored, and then so too did Hudson Young. From being level at four-all, the home side were 10 points adrift.

"Satisfied for the bulk of the game. I thought for most of the match we were solid," said the coach.

"The switch off for a brief period after half-time cost us immensely. Munster's try was soft and should not be scored in a top-level game.

"The team is devastated. So proud the players had a dig but very frustrated with that post-interval, which cost us significantly."

Although the upcoming global tournament in the Southern Hemisphere is just under 12 months away, England's immediate focus will be on trying to salvage honor, preventing a series whitewash and eradicating the issues that frustrated Wane.

"I hoped to see more thrown at Australia. My aim was us to build pressure in the game - we failed to deliver last week," added the 61-year-old.

"We managed this week. It's just a lack of precision in our offensive play where we could have put them under greater stress. We need to stop each of [tries] more effectively.

"Fair play to Australia - that is no slight to them. They turn up and are ruthless when they capitalize, and we failed to be, but defensively we must do enhance.

"They will be determined to win the series whitewash and we need to be obsessed to make it a respectable scoreline. I've told that to the squad. It has to be our obsession. It's going to be a tough week but whoever desires it the greatest will get the win next week."

Intensity Needs to Increase in Domestic Competition

England have participated in a comparable number of Test matches to Australia since the previous global tournament in recent years.

Yet Wane thinks that the quality of the NRL - and standard of the State of Origin matches between NSW and Queensland - offer a more effective preparation for competing at the top of the international game than what is available in the northern hemisphere.

Wane added that the hectic domestic league fixture schedule left little opportunity for him to coach his team during the season, which will only raise additional concerns around how the national team can close the divide to the Kangaroos before heading to the Southern Hemisphere in the next World Cup.

"The Australians play a lot of Test matches in their league," he stated.

"We play ten to fifteen a year. We need demanding games to enhance the competition and improve our prospects of succeeding in these high-stakes fixtures.

"It was impossible to even train with the squad. There was no chance to trained together in the campaign and I had the full backing of everyone in Super League.

"I understand in the position of the head coaches that must to win games. The competition is that congested. It's unfortunate but that's not the cause we lost today."