McManus will call for RFL investigation if Bennett tries to poach Thompson

Speaking to the Daily Mirror’s Gareth Walker, St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus has issued a hands off warning to Wayne Bennett after Luke Thompson was linked with South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Reports in Australia suggest Great Britain boss Bennett will try persuade Thompson to make the move to the Bunnies while in England on Lions duty this week.

The Saints forward, who is contracted until the end of 2020, was handed his England debut by the Australian coach last year and rumours say Souths are prepared to pay big money to lure him to Redfern.

However, this news has unsurprisingly not gone down well with Saints chairman McManus who will call for an RFL investigation if the reports prove to be true.

Speaking to the Mirror, he said: “My view on it is that if there are any approaches to Luke then it is a complete abuse of power.

“It’s something that we foresaw when Wayne Bennett was appointed English coach.

“You’re letting the fox into the chicken coop. This is a coach at an NRL club, not just an Australian who is coaching England as his full-time job.

“The RFL are paying him handsomely to coach our players, not poach our players.

“If there is any truth in this then I will be speaking vigorously to the RFL about it.”

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