RFL Rugby Director Kevin Sinfield says that Wayne Bennett’s future as England coach should be decided in January.
Veteran Australian Bennett, 67, is now out of contract after having led England to a first World Cup Final in 22 years earlier this month.
Sinfield believes the national side has shown significant progress over the last 12 months and says the process of determining Bennett’s future with England is well underway.
Sinfield said: “At some point in January we’re really keen to meet up with Wayne and talk to him.
“He will have put together his own review and I’d like to think that at some time in January we can make an announcement over where we’re going certainly for the next two years but also the next four.
“There is a four-year plan in place that we’ve been working on for the last six months.
“We certainly had our eyes on the 2017 World Cup, but we felt that to win the 2021 competition we had to start preparing early.
“If you look at the last 12 months we’ve come a long way since that Four Nations game against Australia at the Olympic Stadium.
“I think we all came away from there feeling really flat and deflated, and that we were as far away as we’ve ever been.
“But the momentum we’ve built through the year and to then make a first World Cup Final in 22 years has to be marked down as progress.
“It’s not where we want to be, but we’re going in the right direction, and the commitment of the players and staff has been absolutely outstanding in 2017.”
The full story can be found in the new League Express. Buy in stores now or online at totalrl.com/le.
