Leeds Rhinos CEO Jamie Jones-Buchanan forced to turn down friends and family as Ashes fever grips Headingley

England host Australia in LS6 this afternoon for the first time since 1982, with every ticket long gone for one of the most anticipated occasions in recent memory.

Despite the Kangaroos wrapping up the series with a match to spare, the buzz has not dimmed.

"I don't think my dad watched any of my games but even he wants to come to Headingley to watch the Ashes," said Jones-Buchanan, who won eight Super League titles with his hometown club as a player.

"I've got lifelong mates ringing me up thinking I can use my role as leverage to get them tickets in stands that don't exist. I've had to knock a lot of my mates and family back.

"It's a game everyone wants to see because some of the best players on the planet are playing in it - (Nathan) Cleary, (Reece) Walsh, all these megastars that we watch on TV.

"It's going to be a great occasion. I'm relishing the chance to welcome those who don't normally get to sit in front of a prestigious group of players in one of the world's most prestigious rugby league stadiums."

Headingley has staged 12 rugby league Ashes Tests since 1921, while the cricket ground next door has enough stories to fill a book.

Although the aesthetics may have changed, the venue remains steeped in history.

"Arthur Clues is the only person to have scored tries on the rugby league side of the ground and hit a century on the cricket side," added Jones-Buchanan. "He did exactly the same at Sydney as well.

"There's a deep heritage. The last time Headingley held a Test match was in 1982, the year after I was born. We've got the chance to reignite that in 2025 and capture those stories.

"I'm just glad the RFL chose Headingley because they could have gone to another football ground. When you look at rugby league, Wakefield, Batley and Headingley were the three grounds there at the inception.

"We are the spiritual home of rugby league, there's no doubt about that. It's a diamond of a sporting venue."

England have concluded their last three series at Headingley but will only arrive in Leeds on game day, in stark contrast to Australia's visible presence in the build-up.

While regretting a missed opportunity for the national team to engage with the local community, Jones-Buchanan sympathises with Shaun Wane.

"That would have been nice," said Jones-Buchanan. "But there's an old phrase that most things make sense with enough information.

"I've spent time as an RFL observer, understanding some of the challenges rugby league has. Ultimately, Shaun Wane will be thinking about what he can do to get the best performance from his team.

"As a city, we just have to take control of what we can control by making a fuss of the occasion."

The Ashes Test caps a busy first week for Jones-Buchanan as the Rhinos' new CEO.

The 44-year-old is eager to build on the legacy left behind by Gary Hetherington.

"Rugby league, and not least Leeds Rhinos, is a family," said Jones-Buchanan.

"I started off going to the Ashes Test at Everton. It was good to go with some of our partners, stakeholders, sponsors and directors. We had a great day out watching rugby league at a really enjoyable event.

"Monday was the opening of the Rob Burrow MND Centre. That was massive because it underpins the spiritual culture of Leeds Rhinos through two heroes in Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield. It was a privilege to represent the club in that capacity.

"I've been tasked with filling the void left by the great Gary Hetherington. What was so masterful about Gary was that over his time here, he put the management pillars in place to create a phenomenal infrastructure.

"I'm blessed that I played in a good team on the field and am starting a new chapter with an outstanding team off the field."