Just over two months after the third and final Test on a disappointing Ashes series, the Rugby Football League shared a statement to confirm that head coach Shaun Wane had left his position.
Wane called time on his England career after just under six years and a total of 19 games, 14 of which he won, but ultimately he lost four of the most important.
Defeat in the Rugby League World Cup semi-final to Samoa was a major blow and despite confidence-boosting series wins over Samoa and Tonga, a whitewash loss in the Ashes was even more brutal.
What made that series defeat worse for fans was knowing that players were sat at home watching those games who many felt could and would have had a serious impact.
Why Shaun Wane exit is the right time as RFL face huge call ahead of World Cup
Losing to Australia was no disgrace but Shaun Wane had seemingly brought about his own downfall in respect to his selection with too many players picked due to ‘credit in the bank’ and not enough, namely Man of Steel Jake Connor, picked on form.
After Serious About Rugby League reported the news of Wane’s resignation, rugby league fans have had their say on his tenure with selection noted, as well as the key question of why wait 67 days after the Ashes.
What rugby league fans said after Shaun Wane resigned
Gary Cox: Should have picked the Man of Steel
Dayne Scott: 6/10, he didn’t do too bad if you look at the stats. The Ashes selection were wrong and put a nail in his coffin.
John Hawtin: At times he made poor selections but you can’t fault him for passion.
Steve Buckley: When it came to the big games, England went missing.
Chris Hill: Team selections never done on form or raw ability and predictable to play against. Personally I’m glad he’s gone! England should always win the pointless games but need to be closer to the southern hemisphere teams but we will only get better playing more tests!
Simon Everingham: Sad for him personally but sentiment doesn’t equal good selection. Good luck in future endeavours.
Dave Wright: Well whoever takes it on, let’s hope they pick players on form and not on past. Don’t care if they have 50 caps, if they’re not playing top rugby, don’t pick them.
Tony Holden: Can’t really defend him from his results but it’s a tough job to beat the southern hemisphere.
Jamie Lee: Why wait two months?
Graham Cox: Whilst I’m not a fan of Shaun Wane, the timing of this is crazy. Someone coming in cold with no warm up games prior to the World Cup is ridiculous.
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Wiganexpat
January 15, 2026 at 1:17 pm
If you look at Wane’s stats in the England job before the ashes then they are about as good as any England head coach ever. The Ashes were 3 games against the toughest (by far) team in the world. The NRL leaves our Superleague for dead in terms of skill. It is absolutely no disgrace to lose to Australia. Perhaps Wane did make some sub-optimal decisions but talk about hanging the man out to dry. We will be extremely lucky to find a national coach better than Wane. I fear for this year’s RWC.
Eric T Cat
January 15, 2026 at 2:28 pm
“Credit in the bank”, based on that alne I’d give him 3/10. Ignoring Jake Connor was bad enough, but Mickey Lewis only just scraped into the squad. Jez Litten wasn’t guaranteed a spot, among the best three players of the past two years. But George Williams and Matty Ashton were guaranteed places due to credit in the bank? He gave Ashton a spot in the training squad when he was out injured because he wanted him around the squad, fine, puck a fit player but then ask Sam Burgess if Ashton can attend as part of his rehab as part of the backroom team. Sam is reasonable, he’s going to see the positives in recovery by being around the squad, the player feeling he’s making a difference. But wasting a spot in the squad? That is insane. In the series George Williams did nothing, had three anonymous matches, but short of an assassin’s bullet taking him out Wane was keeping him on that pitch! Lewis at 6, Harry Smith at 7, not complicated. Or Brimson at 6, Lewis at 7. But Williams? His credit is good with his Mum and a Shaun Wane, but after the season Warrington had, in which hid NOT shine, did not justify selection.
Wane was unable to listen, played favourites, and in light of experience unable to adapt. How could he reasonably take us to the World Cup when regardless of the forthcoming season we know most of his squad already, who’s in, and who most assuredly is out. That’s another issue, Australia picked their side based on form. Kevin Walters was very clear on that, even he was surprised Jake Connor didn’t get a spot. What the Hell has Liam Marshall done? 143 tries in 170 games for Wigan, three Leader Leaders medals, three Super League titles, two Challenge Cups, twice in the Dream Team, and a World Club Challenge, and he couldn’t get a game? Did he do something in a past life to upset Wane through the centuries? Hull KR enjoyed a stellar season, but the players were roundly ignored, the three who got their chance only Litten got a fair one, more by luck than judgment, I half expected him to be dropped, trying too hard.
Wane is gone, good! I don’t imagine a team will snap him up forvaxSuperbLeague head coach job, a job in Union as a defensive coach would be my guess.