When RFL expect to appoint England’s next head coach
Jack Welsby and Mikey Lewis in action for England in the opening Test of the 2025 Ashes Series against Australia at Wembley
The search for England’s new head coach is set to go on for months following the departure of Shaun Wane.
Wane left the post last month after six years in charge, leaving the governing body on the lookout for a replacement ahead of this year’s World Cup.
Willie Peters, Brad Arthur and Brian McDermott are believed to be the three leading candidates for the role, while on Wednesday, St Helens coach Paul Rowley admitted he was interested in the position too.
However, all interested parties will have to wait a while to learn whether they have been successful, with the process not set to be seriously initiated until next month.
It’s a result of the ongoing structural changes at the RFL, which are set to be completed this month. The role of CEO was recently advertised and that post is exepcted to be filled in that time.
It is once the board of the governing body is finalised that the process of identifying England’s next head coach will begin, which has left officials to predict that a final decision will be made by the end of March.
The coach given the nod will have to get to work quickly, with plenty to plan ahead of the World Cup in October. Logistics and staff appointments will be a top priority, while also casting an eye on players vying for a place on the plane.
England open their campaign against Tonga on October 17th, and remain in Perth for their second game, against France, on October 24th. They then head to Wollongong to play Papua New Guinea on October 30th.
