RICKY WILBY surveys the field for a successor to Shaun Wane as the England coach.
WITH the 3-0 defeat to Australia fresh in everyone’s minds, Shaun Wane departed his role as head coach of England Rugby League following an internal RFL review.
So who will replace the man who led England for the past six years?
The public front runners are Paul Rowley, Daryl Powell and Brian McDermott.
All three have their merits and the England role seems the obvious next step in their careers. Rowley has been successful wherever he has coached (Leigh, Toronto, Salford) but having recently taken the reins at St Helens, England might be a case of right job but wrong timing.
Powell has all the experience needed to take the role, having won trophies at Featherstone, Castleford and Wakefield. He hit a rough patch in Warrington but that shouldn’t count against his record. The question for him would be how to split his time between Trinity and the England job.
Current Gold Coast Titans assistant coach, Brian McDermott is arguably best placed of the three to take the reins of England. A part-time role would suit the former Super League winner, who could complete his duties with the Titans before setting his sights on the World Cup. A serial winner, McDermott has a track record of getting his teams – who were often unfancied – up for the challenge of competing for, and winning, major honours.
Wigan head coach Matty Peet could be a bolter for the post. He won everything with Wigan in 2024 but struggled with the loss of key players in 2025. He might feel, however, that he has unfinished business with Wigan and wouldn’t want to take his focus off what is a crucial year for the Warriors.
If the RFL is looking for someone who is tried and tested, they might turn to Steve McNamara, who proved all his doubters wrong when he moved to the South of France, leading Catalans Dragons to their first ever trophy in 2018 and then to the League Leaders’ Shield in 2021. Now assisting Sam Burgess at Warrington, could McNamara reprise his role and lead England into the World Cup.
On the other hand, there are several quite recent former players who might be considered.
Sam Burgess and James Graham have been continuously linked to the role as assistants to someone more senior, but with Graham’s broadcasting roles currently going stronger than ever and Burgess having the Warrington head coach role, both could struggle for time.
Former Saint Paul Wellens has recently joined North Queensland Cowboys and, like McDermott at the Titans, his experience in the NRL might stand him in good stead.
Then there is the option of choosing a leading Aussie coach.
Current Rhinos coach Brad Arthur would be a big name. Having made the Rhinos contenders again he is a stand-out candidate.
Michael Maguire has won Premierships in both hemispheres, coached the Kiwis and led New South Wales to a recent State of Origin series win. Now an NRL Grand Final winning coach for a second time with the Broncos (having won in 2014 with the Rabbitohs), he would be a strong candidate.
Legendary coach Wayne Bennett held the role during the last World Cup in the southern hemisphere and is well known to the RFL. Bennett has done it all in the game and, despite reaching the final in 2017, he might see the England job as unfinished business.
Des Hasler left the Titans towards the end of 2025. Though they didn’t pull up any trees, he has won two NRL Premierships as a head coach.
Hull KR head coach and current Kangaroos assistant coach Willie Peters is the bookies’ favourite to take the England job, but it might take a considerable offer to tempt the treble-winning coach away from the World Cup favourites. That being said, his stock is well and truly on the rise and being head coach of a successful England side could see him receive that all important offer of an NRL head coach role at a major club.
But perhaps the best Australian candidate might be Trent Robinson, who is a proven winner, loves a project and is a Rugby League internationalist.
Currently preparing to take the Roosters to their fourth Premiership under his stewardship, Robinson holds more cards than just his coaching credentials. For example, he could hold the keys to unlocking Leeds born star halfback Sam Walker, who would certainly sharpen up England’s blunt attack that we saw in the autumn.
Robinson is currently acting as director of rugby for the French national team, but a head coach role in a home World Cup for the Bondi-based coach could entice him to switch horses and it would certainly send a strong signal from the RFL that they mean business in this year’s World Cup.