Shaun Wane looking at the simple things in games

Shaun Wane has outlined just what he wants to see from his England candidates when Super League roars back into life this weekend.
England coach Shaun WaneEngland coach Shaun Wane
England coach Shaun Wane

Five matches take place over the weekend at HeadingleyWigan take on Wakefield on Sunday – with fans’ appetites whetted by the two ‘catch up’ matches last Sunday.

As national coach, Wane spoke to many of the country’s leading players during lockdown.

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And he has stripped back the gauges by which he will measure their performances to ensure he doesn’t over-complicate getting into the England frame.

He consulted assistants Andy Last, Paul Wellens, Paul Sculthorpe and Paul Anderson before compiling a key list.

“I tasked them to watch games, and come up with the key things that win Grand Finals, win World Club Challenges – and I don’t want 12,” he said.

“We’ve made it ultra, ultra-simple and told the players, ‘This is what I want to see when I see you play Super League games’. We’ve made it so simple but effective, but these are the things that win you big games – without a shadow of a doubt.

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“They’ll understand it’s hard to get into the England team, but if you’re working hard and you’re competitive, it’s easy to get into the team.

“I need the players to understand what I’m about and how I want you to behave. And I won’t have it any other way. Some players may not like it – we may lose some players. I’m genuinely not bothered if we do.

“I just want players who can behave like an England player. Win at all costs. Train hard. And if they do we can win a World Cup together.”

Wane was speaking on last night’s episode of The Micky and Woody Show, a podcast presented by ex-players Micky Higham and Paul Wood.

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He candidly admitted he didn’t learn much from his 16 months working with Scotland RU as a part-time high performance coach.

“No. I didn’t,” he said. “They had a lot of money and the way they played... I could have added a lot more. I did a review of what I thought of Scotland RU as a whole, and it wasn’t a positive one.

“I could have done a lot more, but I don’t think they were ready for a person like me at that time. I learned a lot about the money they spend, training, how they travel – things we can’t afford in rugby league – but I didn’t get a lot out of it, if I’m honest.”

He admitted the approach to succeed Wayne Bennett as national coach was one of the few “pinch me” moments of his career. This autumn’s Ashes was scrapped because of the coronavirus crisis, putting next year’s World Cup under sharper focus.

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Wane left hometown club Wigan at the end of 2018 with his third Grand Final triumph.

He also guided the Warriors to Challenge Cup Final and World Club Challenge glory during his seven years as head coach.

“I’d been there a long time, I wanted a change,” he said. “I wanted to do something different. I’d achieved a fair bit and it wasn’t an easy job.

“To coach your hometown – it’s tough. When things are going really well, it’s fantastic. When it’s not...

“To do it for so long, in a very intense bubble like Wigan... it takes its toll."