Shaun Wane's message made clear as England aim to avoid Ashes whitewash - 'Has to be our obsession'
Shaun Wane brushed off questions regarding his future as England coach, insisting his only focus is on avoiding a series whitewash against Australia.
The Kangaroos sealed the Ashes series with a 14-4 victory at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, following up their 26-6 win in the opening Test at Wembley.
Harry Smith scored England’s only points through two penalty goals, whilst Australia scored two tries in the second half thanks to Cameron Munster and Hudson Young.
With the Ashes trophy set to head home with the touring Kangaroos, England only have pride to play for in the third and final Test at AMT Headingley on Saturday – but Wane insists he isn’t thinking about his own future at the moment, with his sole focus on making sure his side end the series on a high in Leeds.
When asked if the final Test is a big game for him as a coach with the Rugby League World Cup down under just a year away, Wane replied: “I’ve not thought about that personally.
"The only thing I’m thinking about is my players performing, and we have to finish the series 2-1. I don’t want to finish the series 3-0, and that’s my obsession. Whatever happens with me, I couldn’t care less.”
Although the third and final Test at AMT Headingley is effectively a dead rubber contest now, Wane insists it is vital that his side show the world what they are truly capable of.
“That’s really important,” said Wane. “They’ll be obsessed to win 3-0 and we need to be obsessed to make it 2-1, I’ve just said that to the players, that has to be our obsession, starting tonight and review tomorrow. It’s going to be a tough week, but it’s who wants it the most who will get the victory next week."
Unlike previous years, England did not have a mid-season international or a warm-up game ahead of this year’s Ashes, but Wane refused to use that as an excuse, insisting his side were ‘physically and mentally ready’ for what was ahead.
"I couldn’t get one,” Wane said on any pre-Ashes fixtures. “I couldn’t even train with the players – we never got on the field in the full season, and I had the backing of everybody in Super League, but I have also been in the boots of the head coaches who need to win games.
"The competition is that congested, it just couldn’t happen, I couldn’t do it, so if we can’t train on the field for half an hour, we’re never going to get a game, which is unfortunate, but that’s not the reason why we got beat today. The players were physically and mentally ready.”
Wane paid credit to Australia on their performance in Liverpool – but believes his side’s defence needed to be stronger against the visitors’ two tries.
"Both of them (tries) we need to defend better, and I don’t feel like they should’ve been tries scored in a Test match,” Wane added.
"Fair play to Australia, that’s no detriment to them, they turn up and they are ruthless when they get a chance, and we weren’t, but defensively, we can and should do better."
England hosts Australia in the third and final Test at AMT Headingley in Leeds on Saturday, November 8.