Jonathan Davies Challenges England to New Wembley Try as Ashes Return vs Australia

LONDON – Rugby league legend Jonathan Davies has thrown down the gauntlet to Shaun Wane’s England side ahead of this weekend’s monumental Ashes return against Australia at Wembley, challenging them to create a new iconic moment that overshadows his own historic 1994 try. Davies’ famous 50-meter, 12-man breakaway try against the then-World Champion Kangaroos 31 years ago remains one of the greatest Wembley scores in the sport’s history. Now, with the first Rugby League Ashes Test since 2003 set to reignite the rivalry, Davies wants to see a fresh classic.”I’d love to see now another try at Wembley so they haven’t got to show mine,” Davies quipped.

The 1994 victory saw Great Britain—playing with only 12 men for nearly an hour after Captain Shaun Edwards was sent off—clinch an 8-4 win on a wet afternoon, a triumph still heralded today. Australia arrives as World Cup holders and series favorites, having maintained an unbroken Ashes series victory streak since 1970. Offering advice to the current England squad, Davies stressed the need for composure and patience against the world’s best.

“You have to be patient,” Davies explained. “Don’t be chasing it. Don’t be pushing passes. Make sure you have a good kicking game. And keep turning the Australians. And then just hang on in there. It’s a fight, really, and then just try to make the most of your opportunities.” The 2025 series carries parallels to 1994, including a pre-series coaching change for the Kangaroos following Mal Meninga’s departure for an NRL club.

Davies’ former Great Britain teammate, legendary winger Martin Offiah, reflected on the shock of the 1994 match, which saw the team’s new captain, Shaun Edwards, red-carded barely 26 minutes into the contest. Edwards’ high tackle on Australian second-rower Bradley Clyde forced the team to fight for 54 minutes with a numerical disadvantage.

The momentous try came just before halftime, initiated by Bobbie Goulding and culminating with Davies receiving the ball on the halfway line. Davies’ recollection highlights the quick thinking required: “I just threw a dummy and then all of a sudden I was in space. And the noise just hits you.”

Offiah, who scored his own iconic Wembley try months earlier, praised his teammate’s effort: “I’d say that’s the moment that Jiffy’s going to be remembered for.”

The match’s dramatic tension continued, with Davies himself suffering a dislocated shoulder saving a try in the second half. Great Britain ultimately secured the 8-4 victory, though the subsequent losses in the remaining two Tests meant Australia still clinched the series—a regret that lingers for the players of that era.

As the Ashes returns for the first time in 22 years—contested by England, not Great Britain, for the first time—the pressure is on Shaun Wane’s side to deliver a competitive series and an unforgettable moment.

“I think anything could happen at Wembley on the day. That’s the one that’s going to set the tone for the rest of the series,” Davies concluded.