ST HELENS have confirmed that Paul Wellens will remain head coach for the 2025 Super League season.
After calling time on his illustrious playing career, Wellens joined Saints’ coaching staff in 2015 and worked across many areas of the club’s performance department, working with the academy and reserves sides before becoming Assistant Coach of the first-team.
During his time as Saints assistant coach, Wellens served under Super League title-winning coaches Justin Holbrook and Kristian Woolf, playing a big part in St Helens’ historic four successive Grand Final victories between 2019 and 2022, plus a Challenge Cup trophy win in 2021.
Alongside club duties, Wellens also served under legendary veteran coach Wayne Bennett for England and Great Britain international fixtures, including the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, and a home series victory over New Zealand in 2018. Wellens also worked alongside current England head coach Shaun Wane for two and a half years before taking on the top job at Saints.
In his first competitive match in charge of St Helens, Wellens led his team to arguably the club’s most famous victory, beating the Penrith Panthers for the World Club Challenge in their own stadium. It was the first victory in the competition in the southern hemisphere by a northern hemisphere team in the summer era of the sport of rugby league.
The 2023 season saw the Saints fall just short in both the Challenge Cup and Super League Semi-Finals, ending the regular season level on points at the top of the Betfred Super League table but finishing third due to points difference.
As we head towards the closing stages of the 2024 campaign, the Saints are currently positioned in fourth place, in the play-off places, and are again aiming to reach another Grand Final and earn a victory at Old Trafford to finish this season.
Chairman of St Helens Eamonn McManus commented: “Paul has had to deal with a squad shorn of many of his star players for much of 2024. He deserves an opportunity to prove himself under better circumstances for the balance of this season and next, and to bring success to the club
“We will also be looking to improve and strengthen the squad in certain areas for next season, as well as strengthening the coaching team supporting Paul.”
Paul Wellens spoke about remaining as St.Helens’ head coach and said: “I think it gives everyone that little bit of clarity around what is happening next year, there was never any doubt in my mind. I’ve been deep in conversation with Mike [Rush] and Eamonn [McManus] for a long time now in terms of 2025, and how we’re going to look, whilst focusing on the job in hand in 2024 as the main priority. I’m very pleased to get the opportunity to continue working with this group of players.
“I walked through the doors here as a 16-year-old in the juniors, and I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else. I’m well aware that the job that I’m in now, is a job that is a huge privilege and one that many, many coaches in the rugby league world would love to have. I’m grateful for the opportunity that I’ve got here and I’m going to continue to work hard.”
Wellens is very much aware of that weight of expectation that comes with being the head coach of the Saints, and he wants the club to continue fighting for silverware and success.
“What I love about this club is that every single year we get on the starting blocks, and we expect success. We drive high standards and we work towards those goals together. There is always challenges on the way, there have been challenges when we haven’t won, and even when we have won, and it’s important through tough times, we stick together.
“I know from my experience as a player it’s very easy to be together when you’re in a team that’s winning, but you’re really challenged as an individual, and as a team, in tough periods. We’ve had a few of those this year but I love the response of the group and how they have stuck together and continue to work hard for each other to support one another through those tough times. If we continue to do that, we will grow as a team.”
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