LEEDS RHINOS’ Jake Connor reckons Brad Arthur would make an ideal England coach for the World Cup.
Aussie Arthur is one of those understood to be in the running for the national team job after Shaun Wane exited following an Ashes whitewash.
With Hull KR’s Willie Peters having pulled out of the race due to his move to PNG Chiefs at the end of the season, Leeds chief Arthur will come into the frame.
And star halfback Connor, who won Steve Prescott Man of Steel last year after a season under his command at Headingley, believes he’d do a great job.
He told League Express: “Obviously Brad’s name has been tossed up.
“And, coming from playing under Brad, I think he’d be a perfect fit for England.
“The style he wants to play, with the players we’ve got in this country, they’d suit him.
“He’d be great for England, and hopefully he’s up there with the favourites to get it.
“I’ve seen first-hand how he can get the best out of people; I’ve come off one of my worst seasons (at Huddersfield Giants in 2024), and by just spending a few weeks with Brad, I nailed it back to where I should have been.
“He’s definitely the best I’ve come across in terms of getting the most out of players in a short period of time.
“And that’s key: when you go into a World Cup, there’s not much time for preparation, so it’s going to be about getting the best out of the players that are in that squad, and Brad can definitely do that.”
The continued absence of Connor, 31, from the England squad was a major talking point of Wane’s six-year reign – especially after he was still overlooked after the best season of his career.
With Wane now out of the picture, does he feel more confident of earning a long-awaited recall for the World Cup down under this autumn?
Connor, who’s continued his fine form into 2026 with joint-top Rhinos, insisted: “I’m probably the same, really.
“Obviously it’s a long way off the World Cup – we’ve still got a full season ahead.
“But there’s not too many opportunities when the World Cup comes about, so it’s definitely something I want to do in my career, to be part of such a squad.
“But obviously your form and your consistency take care of that through the year, so I just want to continue what I’m doing and keep playing well, and hopefully my name’s in the hat.”