RFL provide update on England Rugby League coach search with interview panel unveiled
The Rugby Football League have unveiled an interview panel that will come together over the next few weeks, tasked with appointing the new England Rugby League head coach.
Former Wigan Warriors boss Shaun Wane stepped down from his role as head coach of the England national team in January after six years in charge, following their Ashes series defeat to Australia last autumn.
A panel, consisting of former England captain Kevin Sinfield, interim RFL chief executive Abi Ekoku, RFL chair Nigel Wood and RFL non-executive director Sara Symington, will interview candidates and recommend Wane’s replacement to the RFL board in the next few weeks, with RFL executive director of performance and participation Marc Lovering offering support.
"We are entering a crucial time as we bid to secure the right person to lead England’s men’s team into the upcoming World Cup,” said Wood.
“It is an exciting period for the sport, especially given how our athletes have already made such excellent starts to the new Super League season.
“The autumn’s Ashes series whetted the appetite for international rugby league, and everyone here is looking forward to the prospect of heading to Australia at the end of this campaign for the 17th edition of the World Cup.
“We have had applications and enquiries from a wide-range of world-class coaches, from both here and in the NRL.
“With the aid of our newly-assembled panel, we will now conduct interviews to narrow down our shortlist in readiness to find the ideal candidate.”
The RFL say the head coaching role will be part-time and initially just to cover the World Cup, where England open their tournament against Tonga in Perth on October 20.
Wane had been in charge for a home World Cup in 2022, when England were knocked out in the semi-finals after losing to Samoa in golden point extra-time at the Emirates Stadium.
England won home series against Tonga and Samoa in 2023 and 2024 respectively, but lost all three Ashes Tests to Australia on home soil last autumn.
Back in January, the RFL and Wane announced that he would be stepping down from the head coaching role he had occupied since 2020, having taken over from Wayne Bennett.
On the newly-formed interview panel, Wood said: “On the back of his incredible career with Leeds Rhinos, Kevin Sinfield represented his country on more than 40 occasions, captaining England in the 2013 World Cup, and serving as rugby director four years later when the national side reached the World Cup final in Brisbane.
“His knowledge, expertise and input will be invaluable as we undertake this important appointment.
“As a double Olympian in cycling, Sara Symington knows all about competing on the world stage.
“She has since worked as a performance advisor for UK Sport and reached medal targets when leading high-performance programmes with Archery GB, England Netball and UK Athletics before heading British Cycling’s Olympics and Paralympics programme for three years through the Paris 2024 cycle.
“Abi Ekoku has experience as Great Britain’s team manager when travelling down under, including for the famous 2006 Tri-Nations win over world champions Australia in Sydney, and we are all enthused by the calibre of the candidates we'll now assess."