ST HELENS are set to miss out on one of their head coach candidates, Queensland’s assistant Ben Te’o.
That’s according to CODE Sports, which has reported that Te’o is instead being headhunted by Wayne Bennett for South Sydney Rabbitohs to be his number two from 2027.
That Australian masthead is also reporting that Te’o, who became a cult hero at South Sydney and Brisbane Broncos as a player, would prefer to move to an NRL coaching role than one in Super League.
At present, Te’o is Queensland’s assistant coach, but with Billy Slater resigning, there had been speculation he could be appointed to the helm of the Maroons.
However, he has distanced himself from such reports.
Te’o has had experience in the northern hemisphere, but in rugby union with Leinster and Worcester as well as representing England 18 times between 2016 and 2019.
That leaves Saints, who are said to have interviewed Te’o, needing to look elsewhere for a new head coach following the departure of Paul Rowley last month.
His assistant, Eamon O’Carroll, has taken interim charge of the Merseyside club, but he himself will be leaving Saints and rugby league for the 15-man code at the end of the season, when he takes up the role of assistant coach at Welsh rugby union side Scarlets.