England set to play Fiji in World Cup warm-up test
England are set to play Fiji in a warm-up test ahead of the World Cup this autumn.
Shaun Wane will take charge of England for the first time on June 25 when they take on the Combined Nations All Stars at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday morning, Wane revealed that he is hoping to have another test match prior to the World Cup on home soil this autumn.
He said: “We’re looking at Fiji. We are not 100% sorted on that one yet but that’s going to be approximately 10 days before the first game against Samoa.
“That will be a few days after the (Super League) Grand Final because things (fixtures) are that tight at the minute.
“We are not going to get the Grand Final players (for the warm-up) which is unfortunate but they are the hands we’ve been dealt. We will just have to get on with it. Unfortunately, it’s not perfect for what we all want but it is what it is.”
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In a change from the previous Exiles concept, the Combined Nations team will enable players from other countries, such as Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Jamaica to participate in the game, alongside their Antipodean colleagues.
Wane is excited by the challenge of the Combined Nations team and is just desperate to get back into a hands-on approach in his coaching methods.
He said: “We are desperate to get out and coach, have games, a bit of stress and have a game we need to win.
“We have to wait a few more months but it is very exciting for me. I’ve been watching so much rugby on the laptop and watching live games but its not the same as coaching your own team and going over the game plan. I’m looking forward to getting the players on the field and actually coaching so it is exciting times.
“The concept we are bringing in now goes back years so I understand what we are doing. I get why we’re doing it and I’m not really bothered about the name (Combined Nations All Stars) to be honest. As long as we are playing against a very good team like a test match then I’m happy so I get the reasoning behind it.”
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