Former Featherstone Rovers head coach Paul Cooke believes Hull KR boss Willie Peters should be considered a candidate for the vacant England position.
Shaun Wane left the role on Wednesday afternoon after spending six years at the helm of the national team. The decision followed what was a dismal Ashes campaign from an England perspective and it gives the RFL a decision to make in terms of his replacement heading into this autumn’s World Cup down under.
Wane’s departure doesn’t necessarily change what England can be expected to do at the tournament with many believing that just reaching the knockout stages of the competition could be tricky for them.
However, attention has now quickly turned to who will replace Wane at the wheel of the national team.
The RFL have confirmed that the position will be part-time and that opens the door to a current Super League boss taking the role.
As such, Peters is the man many people believe would be the ideal man for the job as he comes off the back of his treble-winning season with Hull KR. The Rovers boss was a part of the Australian set up for the Ashes, but he knows the game on both sides of the world intricately, which perhaps makes him the perfect man to consider for something of a quick fix.
Cooke believes he would a decent choice for the RFL should the governing body look his way, but in giving his assessment of the situation, he has also namechecked four other coaches with Steve McNamara, Paul Rowley, Brian McDermott and Matt Peet also getting a mention.
“Willie Peters would be a fair choice for new @EnglandRL coach,” Cooke wrote on social media. “Mind you that’s along with Paul Rowley, Brian McDermott, Matty Peet to name a few.
“Another one is Steve McNamara, he was extremely successful before being removed for Wayne Bennett.
“Big job for those appointing!”
Check out the latest episode of The Serious About Rugby League Show on our YouTube channel here.
