Shaun Wane highlights key drawback to ‘best sport in the world’

Shaun Wane has branded rugby league as “the best sport in the world” following England’s clean sweep series victory over Tonga, with the England boss urging the higher ups in the game to help get more eyes watching and therefore more involvement in rugby league.

Wane had been vocal on his desire to secure the clean sweep, it being one of the first things he spoke about when England picked up the second win at the John Smith’s Stadium last week, and his team fulfilled that task and did so comfortably at Headingley yesterday.

England controlled the game against a sloppy Tonga who seemed to fade away throughout the game, as they have in the series, as Wane’s men ran in four tries through Ben Currie, Matty Ashton, Elliott Whitehead and Harry Newman in the 26-4 victory.

Whitehead, playing in his final England test having declared his retirement pre-game, could have had a second but was the victim of the video referee who ruled against him whilst it was Newman who scored the pick of the tries following Harry Smith’s incredible cross field kick.

Head coach Shaun Wane beamed with pride post game, explaining: “I’ve nothing but praise, I just said that to the players, our staff have been great. But the main mention was the players, the way they’ve stuck at it.”

He continued to speak positively but instead about the sport as a whole rather than his specific team, discussing the wide reach it does have whilst being aware of the necessity to grow as well.

“I love going to Catalans, I love going down to London, so I’m very very proud of our game,” declared Wane.

“There’s no other sport and I include NFL and Aussie rules, but no sport can do what we do. We just don’t have enough people.”

“I think we have the best, I genuinely mean this, I think we’ve got the best sport in the world, and the more people that see it, the better.

“No other sport can do what our athletes do, to go 20-30 minutes with no errors and no mistakes, no penalties and undergoing repeated efforts and the whacking each other. They’re just unbelievable athletes.”

When asked about how the sport should go about bringing more people to see it Wane outlined what needs to happen whilst also recalling how special the World Cup was.

“I think it’s so important firstly for RL Commercial, the RFL and the international board to get these games on. We just need to fill these grounds and we’ll get a great atmosphere. The memories of the World Cup last year, turning up to play Greece at Sheffield with a massive, with a big crowd on, it’s just the best.

“There’s obviously an appetite for it, and the game needs it. The game needs it. You look at that game today, and it was an outstanding game. All the spectators will go home and be really, really happy. So a lot of people deserve a lot of credit.”