FORMER Hull FC coach Brett Hodgson wants to play his part in World Cup success after swapping codes to become England’s new defence specialist.
The 44-year-old Australian, who parted company with the Black and Whites in early September after a tough two seasons in charge, will replace compatriot Anthony Seibold, who has been appointed as the new Manly Sea Eagles coach on a three-year contract after working in Eddie Jones’ England rugby union set-up since September 2021.
Former New South Wales, NRL, Huddersfield and Warrington fullback Hodgson, who was Super League Man of Steel in 2009, will shadow ex-South Sydney Rabbitohs and Brisbane Broncos boss Seibold, who cut his coaching teeth at South Wales Scorpions and has had a previous spell as assistant coach at Manly, for the remainder of union’s Autumn international series.
England will then prepare for the Six Nations Championship in February and March, with the World Cup following in France in September and October.
Jones’ side earlier this month suffered a shock 30-29 Twickenham defeat by Argentina, coached by Michael Cheika, who the previous evening was in charge of Lebanon as their Rugby League World Cup campaign ended with a 48-4 defeat by Australia at Huddersfield.
“I’m really excited about opportunity to join with England, especially before a Rugby World Cup year,” said Hodgson, who also played for Western Suburbs, Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers and started his coaching career on the staff at Widnes before spells as an assistant coach at Wests and in charge of their feeder team Western Suburbs Magpies.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the staff and this group of players.
“There is some real talent here and it’s something I feel I can make a contribution to in helping this team succeed.”
Jones, who has made no secret of his liking for and admiration of Rugby League, and has ex-Great Britain centre Martin Gleeson as attack coach, said: “I’ve known Brett for a few years.
“He first visited us in Bristol in 2018 and I’ve been to Hull on a few occasions.
“He was an outstanding league player and he’s a talented, hard-working young coach who is developing.
“He’ll continue the good work that Anthony Seibold has done since he joined us.
“We are disappointed to lose Anthony but we are really pleased for him as a career move. It’s great to see assistant coaches move on to head coach roles.”
Hodgson arrived at Hull in November 2020 tasked with ending a trophy drought which stretches back to 2017, when they won the Challenge Cup for the second season running.
However, his side suffered a cup semi-final defeat by St Helens before finishing eighth in Super League in 2021, and this year, went out in the quarter-finals before ending up ninth in the table.
Manly axed Des Hasler in mid-October after an eleventh-placed finish in the NRL.
Shane Flanagan and Jim Dymock have been appointed as assistant coaches to Seibold, who played as a prop for London Broncos, Hull KR and Celtic Crusaders as well as Canberra Raiders.
