Shaun Wane ready to lead England to World Cup glory – with the Ashes first
NEW England boss Shaun Wane insists he is a better coach now after his time out of rugby league.
As SunSport revealed, the former Wigan chief will lead the nation’s bid to lift the World Cup on home soil next year after Wayne Bennett was ditched.
Wane had been working part-time as a high performance coach with Scottish Rugby Union while also watching Super League matches.
And he feels his time out of the 13-a-side code has made him better equipped to take on the world.
Wane, who has already been looking at what he can do, said: “In my time with Scotland, I met some good people and learned some important things.
“I’ve had time away but I think it’s made me a better coach seeing how another country does something. Scotland did some quality things.
“I’m very patriotic and passionate about my country. To get the chance to be head coach is the best feeling ever.
“If I’m honest, I’m not sure I’d have ever got the chance. Now I’m going to work as hard as I can to make sure we have success.
“And absolutely there’s a chance of success, without question. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think we could win it.”
Wane’s mission is simple – win the World Cup after Bennett’s side lost 2017’s final 6-0 to Australia, who England face in a three-Test series in the Autumn.
He left the door open for foreign-born players, like Wigan’s Jackson Hastings and Warrington’s Blake Austin, to play and is still expected to have his first match in June.
Although nothing is arranged yet, Rugby Football League chief executive Ralph Rimmer revealed there are a couple of options in the southern hemisphere.
And he will not directly replace Kevin Sinfield as head of the England Performance Unit after he stepped down.
But after revealing he was the man who told a ‘very disappointed’ Bennett, he said: “Shaun will give us the drive and passion to be very successful. In Shaun we trust.
“He has some really strong traits and assets. He’s used to bringing teams to the boil at the right end of the season and that was a key element of it.
“Winning World Cups on home soil are very important things and after a great deal of deliberation, we’re really pleased. He’ll be a massive asset to us and being English played a part in the thinking.”
