Shaun Wane ‘knows’ he is the right man to lead England into the 2026 Rugby League World Cup next autumn.
The England boss has just overseen a 3-0 whitewash series defeat to Australia with a 30-8 loss coming at Headingley on Saturday afternoon in the final Test of the autumn. And, the head coach has come under heavy criticism and scrutiny over the last few weeks with performances underwhelming to say the least.
There have been questions about his capability to continue in the role and pockets of fans could be heard signing ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ near the press box at Headingley.
Wane was duly asked about his position after the game then, with the head coach outlining his belief that he has the backing from his players and staff.
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Shaun Wane on his England future
“I don’t believe, I know I am,” Wane said when asked if he believed he was the right man for the job. “The only people who I want [backing from] is the players and the staff and I know I’ve got that.”
On the series defeat and England’s performance, Wane added: “I think we’ve not played well enough for long enough periods against a really good team.
“This is a different challenge against a team that is going to ask you questions continually for 80 minutes and we couldn’t do it for long enough periods.”
In terms of a review of the series, Wane will sit down with the powers that be to discuss where improvements can be made.
“[Talks] aren’t planned yet but they will be planned,” he added. “I’ll do a report on the series and what my thoughts were and sit down with people at the RFL.
“They want to make it better, they don’t like us losing and we don’t, we’re all pulling in the same direction. We have to be better for the World Cup next year.”
John Dalton
November 8, 2025 at 6:10 pm
It does not matter who coaches England at the World Cup – we have zero chance of winning it, so save your breath.
Let’s just get on with the build up to the next Super League season, with all the thrills & spills that it offers. I just hope that we do not have another SALFORD type debacle. We only want people running our clubs, who have a genuine affinity with the sport – NOT ASSET STRIPPERS.
Can’t wait for the British action to start in February………..
Eric T Cat
November 9, 2025 at 8:51 am
It would appear there is no “fit and proper person” requirement from the RFL if buying a club, the debacle at Salford would have been prevented by such checks. If an owner can’t clearly prove that they can meet their financial commitments for the season then they should not be playing! The coaches, players, staff depend on their wages! There’s a worry some may be trading while knowingly insolvent, it can land you in a court!
The incompetence of the RFL have got to me, this decision to add two clubs when 12 are barely coping. Where the Sky TV deal isn’t a given and the money will be a fraction of what goes into other sports, almost the tea and biscuits budget of the NRL, other broadcasters who are embarrassingly bad at their promotion of the sport, the BBC can’t get away quickly enough. It’s a wonder they don’t make the pundits stand there in flat hats, a pint of mild, and a whippet on a piece of bloody string.
The endless snarking about the game only being played along the M62, ok, let’s address that. Why? Well, do you think a war waged every day since August 29th 1895 to utterly eradicate the sport might have anything to do with it? A one sided war waged by the RFU and the British Establishment that is a bitter, hate filled, class oppressing barrage of bigotry, lies, double dealing, hypocrisy, and abuse might have had an impact? Why the hell we are required to sing the national anthem is a mystery, when was the last time a royal attended a match? The RFU have had the playing of rugby league made a criminal offence in some countries. Or there is France, where the strength of Rugby Union is built on the stolen assets of the French Rugby League seized by the Vichy Government with Nazi support! Where the French RFU named League betrayed League players to the Gestapo, and that invariably did not end well. They tend to skirt over that shameful episode! To be honest I’m shocked Union wasn’t banned in post War France for being a Nazi sport. No other sport on Earth behaves like the Rugby Union does towards Rugby League. But the bias of the media stops anyone from going out and making an historical documentary detailing this one-sided war! To still be fighting is a miracle.
But I’ve had enough of the RFL, they are doing everything possible to drive the sport into the ground, next season I’ll be getting a pass to watch NRL games and sticking to that. A professional sport, run on an open basis, on a level playing field. When put aside Union in that context League dwarfs Union.
I won’t ever watch Rugby Union, I recall the letter I received from the RFU with my lifetime ban. The effort they took to track me down then to ban me a casual unbanning isn’t enough. My father was so impressed I got a letter from the RFU, the contents shocked him, I was a kid, it did everything bar threaten to exile me to the colonies or put me on the scaffold! I won’t have it on the TV.
Sorry, bit of a rant, but I’m a tad miffed and discombobulated with it all. Still, saving a fortune getting rid of Sky Sports!