Shaun Wane on when NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars met rugby league

Drew Darbyshire

England coach Shaun Wane has recalled the time when NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars met rugby league.

The former Wigan boss has always been keen to watch and take tips from other sports when it comes to his coaching and in a briefing with the media last week, he recalled the time when he went to watch NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars train.

Wane said: “I went into Jacksonville Jaguars watching them train and they were asking us where we were from and what was rugby league.

“We got out our laptop out and showed them a few games like Wigan and Saints where they were smashing each other, and they were screaming at their mates to come round to our screen and watch this game.

“They were asking us what the players wore, and we showed them a jersey and they couldn’t believe it.

“We were there all day and the coaching staff and players couldn’t get enough of us. It fascinates me how much people think of our game.”

Wane was appointed England coach in February 2020 but has yet to take charge of a game due due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But with a mid-season clash against the Exiles and the World Cup coming up at the end of the year, Wane can’t wait to get going.

He said: “I need to get on the field with players, train and work out ways of winning games because I’m missing it so much.

“Frustrating is not the word – it is something deeper than that. I live and breathe coaching rugby league players and I’ve not done it for quite a while now.

“The last game I won was in 2018 and it was an important one so I need to be on the field coaching players and making the best of it is what I do and that’s over Zoom at the minute.

“I can’t wait to get out on the field and start coaching and training players again.”

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