The Rugby Football League will host a press conference at Bolton, which will be the venue for the first Test later this year against Australia, at which they will unveil former Wigan coach Shaun Wane as the new coach of England, with a remit to prepare to face the Australians for the Ashes series and to take England into the World Cup.
Wane is currently a member of the Scotland Rugby Union coaching team for the Six Nations tournament, which started at the weekend, with Scotland going down 18-14 to Ireland in Dublin, with Ireland coached by another former Wigan star in Andy Farrell.
It means that Wane will replace Wayne Bennett as the England head coach, with the RFL thought to have concluded that Bennett is no longer the right man for the job after the disappointing Great Britain tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea last year.
Unlike Bennett, who coaches NRL side South Sydney, Wane is likely to be made the full-time England coach, with the RFL hoping he can forge a side that will win the World Cup, which will be played in England in 2021.
The Super League clubs had all urged the RFL to make a change, and League Express understands that Wane will continue to work with Scotland until later this summer before committing himself to his new role.
Although the RFL is refusing to comment on Wane’s appointment until the governing body has introduced Wane to the media this week, as news of his appointment became common knowledge, several people in the game were keen to endorse the RFL’s decision.
“Yeah, it’s brilliant. Great news, outstanding,” said Hull FC coach Lee Radford.
“It’s great to hear that Shaun Wane is set to be named as the new England coach,” writes League Express columnist Garry Schofield.
“In Waney, we’re getting a proven coach and man-manager who knows Super League inside out.”
