SHAUN WANE went into the 2021 Rugby League World Cup with one objective: to win the tournament.
As a result, not even making the final will have hurt the former Wigan Warriors boss like potentially little else has done throughout his playing and coaching career.
Of course, Wane will be hoping to have a second chance to put things right in France in three years’ time, but here are five potential coaches for that tournament.
Shaun Wane
Shaun Wane got England playing some good stuff in the recent World Cup, but a flat performance in the semi-final against Samoa left a lot to be desired. That being said, Wane has had difficulties to contend with in his time as England boss so far, including a lack of playing and training time with the squad due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences. Moving forward, does deserve a second chance so it will be interesting to see if he is given the opportunity to right the wrongs of the World Cup.
Ian Watson
Huddersfield Giants boss Ian Watson previously spoke of the honour that would be involved if he was asked to be the new head coach of England. A brilliant man-manager and a coach that can inspire an incredible togetherness within a squad, Watson would make a tremendous England boss. Of course, the former Salford Red Devils man still has unfinished business with Huddersfield which could make it difficult to lure him from.
Daryl Powell
There was a time when Warrington Wolves boss Daryl Powell was touted as the next English coach when he was at the helm of the Castleford Tigers. Since then, however, a dismal 2022 from Warrington has left those calls to be put on the backburner. That being said, a coach doesn’t turn ‘bad’ overnight and Powell will try and rekindle some of that passion and form in his Warrington side that he was able to inspire at Castleford. It would be an interesting choice to see if Powell could make the step onto the international stage.
Paul Anderson
As head coach of the England Knights, Paul Anderson also has a vast array of experience of being within the national set-up. The natural step up would of course be the main England job, with his experience of head coach at Huddersfield Giants standing him in good stead. In his first year of coaching at Huddersfield he earned his first piece of silverware by winning the League Leaders’ Shield, the first time Huddersfield had won the trophy in over 80 years.
Paul Rowley
One choice out of left-field, but Paul Rowley’s rise through the coaching ranks has been meteoric. After being a Championship boss for the majority of his career, the former Leigh and Toronto boss was named head coach of the Salford Red Devils ahead of the 2022 Super League season. A few eyebrows were raised, but Rowley firmly swatted away any fears with a superb first year in charge of the club, taking the Red Devils to within 80 minutes of the Grand Final. A straight-talking, no-nonsense motivator, Rowley would certainly take England in a different direction.
