PENRITH PANTHERS assistant coach Ben Gardiner is being linked with the head coaching role at St Helens as the pressure increases on Paul Wellens.
Saints went down 17-4 to Leeds Rhinos at Super League’s Magic Weekend – a result which left the club sixth with just five wins from ten games.
Ahead of the 2025 season, there was excitement surrounding Saints with the capture of Lee Briers as assistant coach as well as the signing of Brisbane Broncos livewire Tristan Sailor.
However, things have failed to click so far for Wellens and Saints and Peter Lang, a rugby league columnist for The Western Weekender newspaper in Penrith, has claimed that the Panthers’ second-in-command to Ivan Cleary is on their radar.
Lang posted on X: “WHISPERS: Panthers Assistant Coach Ben Gardiner is rumoured to be the number one target to take over as head coach for Super League side St Helens in the UK.
Current Saints coach Paul Wellens is under increased pressure to keep his job after his side lost 17-4 to Leeds Rhinos last start.”
WHISPERS: Panthers Assistant Coach Ben Gardiner is rumoured to be the number one target to take over as head coach for Super League side St Helens in the UK.
Current Saints coach Paul Wellens is under increased pressure to keep his job after his side lost 17-4 to Leeds Rhinos… pic.twitter.com/D5Q6G9lw4X— Peter Lang (@PeterVLang) May 5, 2025
Gardiner is also the current head coach of the Samoa national side, leading their tour of England last year.
