“Just Put On a Helmet”: Pope’s Straight-Talking Message as England Ride Out the Noise in Australia

Helmet reminders, Pope’s honesty, and England’s off-field scrutiny ahead of the second Ashes Test

There are few places in world sport where the spotlight burns hotter than an Ashes tour of Australia. From the moment an England squad steps off the plane, every move is filmed, clipped, analysed and, in some cases, gleefully criticised. So when Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith and Mark Wood were spotted cruising around Brisbane on public e-scooters without the legally required helmet, it was only a matter of time before local media pounced.

Queensland law is blunt: personal mobility riders must wear an approved helmet or risk a fine of A$166 (£82). And as soon as the images emerged, the question wasn’t whether England would be fined — but whether the moment would become the next headline in a tour already dense with them.

Ollie Pope, ever the calm voice in a noisy environment, didn’t bother dressing it up.
“Just put a helmet on next time,” he said with a shrug. “Rules are rules.”

It was exactly the sort of plain-speaking the situation required, even if the incident itself barely deserved a raised eyebrow. Still, when you’re 1-0 down in an Ashes series and under the kind of forensic scrutiny only Australia can deliver, even a casual scooter ride becomes a storyline.

Helmet drama aside, England focus on Gabba challenge

The timing of the e-scooter saga couldn’t have been more awkward. England are preparing for the second Test at the Gabba — the cauldron that has intimidated visiting teams for decades — and they’re doing so under floodlights in a day-night match starting at 04:00 GMT on Thursday.

It’s a Test that already feels pivotal. Australia’s win in the opening match has tilted the early momentum in their favour, and the post-match fallout has been predictably unforgiving.

Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, never one to sit quietly on the sidelines, accused the England players of being “arrogant.” That comment, like many from Johnson over the years, ricocheted through the Australian press and only intensified the scrutiny on Stokes’s squad.

So Pope’s helmet remark wasn’t just a quip — it was a reminder that England need to manage both cricketing and non-cricketing moments with care.

When the cameras never switch off

If this tour has made one thing clear, it’s that privacy is a luxury England won’t be afforded in Australia.

Players were filmed immediately upon arrival at Perth airport, with cameras lingering on Stokes and Joe Root as if waiting for a mistake to broadcast. During downtime, drones followed them around while they played golf. Some were snapped as they toured a Perth aquarium — a harmless day out that still turned into news.

For England, it has created a claustrophobic environment.

Pope is well aware of it. He should be — this is his second Ashes trip.

“We’re very aware of the media attention,” he said. “But it’s important to switch off and be yourself.”

Four years ago, his first Ashes experience took place under the shadow of strict Covid regulations. Players spent weeks confined to hotel rooms, unable to leave, unable to breathe fresh air, unable to do much of anything besides train and play. It was mentally draining, and Pope hasn’t forgotten how suffocating that experience became.

“Locking your doors and not coming out is the unhealthy thing to do,” he said. “Whatever you do with your off time — just getting your mind away from cricket — that’s important.”

The message was clear: if England want to survive this tour, they must carve out moments of normal life, even if cameras hover nearby.

Australia’s view: players need space too

Interestingly, Pope’s comments found an unlikely ally in Australia fast bowler Scott Boland.
Boland, one of the most quietly spoken figures in Australian cricket, echoed the sentiment: free time matters — even for players operating under the fiercest spotlight in the sport.

“You want to enjoy your free time,” he said. “We can go home, see our families. I like being able to go home and not have a camera in my face all the time.”

It’s a reminder that both sides, despite the rivalry, share the human experience of an intense Test series. The difference? Australia’s players get to retreat to their own homes between Tests. England get hotels, drones, and photographers waiting in the lobby.

England’s plans: win or lose, they’re heading to Noosa

One detail that raised eyebrows in Australia was the revelation that England plan to take a brief holiday in Noosa — the Sunshine Coast’s pristine, laid-back beach haven — after the Gabba Test.

Win or lose, they’re going.

To some, that seemed poorly timed. To the players, it’s essential. A moment to decompress. A chance to reset before the third Test. A tour as intense as this one requires pockets of sunlight, fresh air, and clear heads.

Pope defended the decision — and did so firmly.

“It’s important to have that balance,” he said. “It’s a long tour.”

England know the optics but also know the alternative: burnout.

Team news: changes for the Gabba Test

On the cricketing front, England have confirmed one change:
all-rounder Will Jacks comes in for Mark Wood, who is managing an injury.

It’s a notable shift. Wood’s express pace has often rattled Australia, and losing him removes a major point of difference in England’s attack. Jacks brings versatility, batting depth, and off-spin — but he’s a different type of threat altogether.

Australia, meanwhile, will be without opener Usman Khawaja, ruled out with a back issue. That means Travis Head, fresh off a match-winning century in the first Test, will open again. As for the final spot, either Josh Inglis or Beau Webster will join the XI.

Helmet jokes aside, England know the real challenge ahead

The scooter incident will disappear quickly. The memes will fade. The headlines will move on. But the underlying truth remains: England need to win in Brisbane to pull this series back into balance, and they must do so under more pressure and noise than any of them would prefer.

Pope’s “just put on a helmet” line might have been delivered with a grin, but behind it was a nod to something bigger — discipline, calm, and keeping the outside chaos from touching the inside.

As England head into one of the toughest Tests of the tour, those values may matter just as much as runs and wickets.