Walsh lives up to star billing and emerges toast of Ashes series

Likened to LeBron James, Australia’s talisman has left alasting legacy in England amid gloom of sport's future

- Aaron Bower

The debrief is yet to begin over the failure of England’s Ashes campaign both on and off the field, and just how big a missed opportunity the past few weeks could prove to be for the game in this country.

But amid all the gloom, there has been an unlikely beacon of hope for the sport’s promoters.

As the 52,000-plus crowd filtered away from Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday evening, there was a huge ruckus outside the players' entrance. Not for any of the home players, who had once again flattered to deceive. Not even for Nathan Cleary, regarded as the world’s biggest star for a number of years and someone with genuine worldwide cut-through.

No. The mob of supporters who had hung around were only interested in seeing one man: the Kangaroos fullback Reece Walsh. Walsh’s notoriety and reputation in Australia was solidified long before he made his Kangaroos debut last month, but the 23-year-old has now become the hottest attraction in rugby league, and is the star the sport can hang its hat on globally.

Without his on-field heroics, this series would probably be going to a decider in Leeds tomorrow given his performance in the first Test at Wembley.