England fired up after World Cup winner’s jibe as Shaun Wane responds to ‘boring’ criticism

England coach Shaun Wane has hit back at ex-Australia international Aaron Woods after comments made ahead of the rugby league Ashes, with the three-Test series starting on Saturday.

For the first time in 22 years, an Ashes Test will be played when the two nations walk out at Wembley and England boss Shaun Wane has said that a win would be in part thanks to Woods.

The Australian actually played the last time the two nations met, way back in 2017 in the Rugby League World Cup Final, and his comments about England, and in particular Wane, have fired the home side up.

Reacting to a video published by England Rugby League of Wane addressing the players and speaking about the history of the Ashes, Woods suggested that Wane was boring, stating: “Fair dinkum, can you wake me up? No wonder they haven’t won an Ashes in years.”

Those comments were labeled as ‘disrespectful’ by James Graham and they haven’t gone unnoticed in England’s camp with Wane now hitting back.

Shaun Wane hits out at ‘boring’ implication

When asked about the comments from Woods, Wane bluntly asked: “Who’s that?,” per The Daily Telegraph before responding ‘just’, when asked if he remembered the player turned pundit.

Wane would then concede he was unaware of what Woods had achieved in rugby league as he explained that the comments from the 34-year-old had helped stoke the fires for England.

“The boys know about it and they don’t like it,” he said, adding: “All the negative comments have been mentioned in camp and that was one of them.

“If we can win on Saturday, then it’s going to be down to him and I will send him a thank you message after the game. It has motivated a few players.

“I know he’s paid to be controversial but I don’t think I’m boring and I can motivate my team.”

Wane then defended his comments, stating: “Everything I said in that video meeting, I meant. The players loved it and it was very emotional. For him to come out with that, to say I’m boring, was pretty poor of him.”

The England coach didn’t stop there after critiquing his punditry as he also went after his playing career, claiming that Woods was not his ‘style’ of player.

“I saw him play and I watch a lot of NRL but I like fast-twitch, aggressive, never-give-in, tough and confrontation front-rowers,” Wane said.

“He’s not a player I would have had (when coaching) Wigan. He was more ‘attritional’, not my style.”

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