Bennett signs two year deal

[Pommy]

The Rugby Football League and Wayne Bennett have agreed a two-year contract that will see him stay on as Head Coach of England Rugby League and lead Great Britain in 2019.

Originally appointed in February 2016, Bennett led the team in the 2016 Four Nations tournament, 2017 Pacific Test victory over Samoa and to the 2017 Rugby League World Cup final – England’s first in 22 years.

After a successful 2017 World Cup campaign, Bennett’s two-year contract will see him take charge of the national side for the International Series against New Zealand in 2018 and also for any Great Britain tour in 2019.

On his two-year extension, Bennett, said: “It was disappointing not to be lifting the World Cup last December, but I mentioned about this squad being on a journey. I want to continue that journey because I firmly believe we can achieve something special together.

“It’s a pleasure to coach this squad because everyone wants to do their best for one another and do their job properly. The last couple of years have been encouraging and I have seen this group grow in confidence and belief.

“There’s plenty of work to be done and club fixtures to be played between now and the New Zealand games - everyone is aware of what is required of them to join the England programme.”

In addition to Wayne Bennett, other England coaches appointed to new two-year contracts are: Paul Anderson (England Knights), Craig Richards (England Women), Mark Roughsedge (England Wheelchair), Dave Elliott (England Academy) and Danny Wilson (England Youth).

England’s three-match International Test Series against New Zealand starts on Saturday, October 27 (2.30pm) at KCOM Stadium, Hull and carries on at Anfield, Liverpool on Saturday, November 3 and concludes at Elland Road, Leeds on Sunday, November 11. Tickets for all three games are on sale now at rugby-league.com and cost from £25 for adults and £12.50 for concessions. ‘Our League’ members will get £5 off all ticket categories when purchased through the Our League App or website.


Personally I’m very happy with the signing

 

[Foreign Legion]

Should have been 4 years up until the WC 2021

 

[Pommy]

Should have been 4 years up until the WC 2021

I agree but I think his age is an issue. Who knows if he is going to be up to it in 4 years?

 

[Burns]

Reeeeeeally would have been perfect time to announce the Denver Test too but oh well.

Happy with the appointment, Bennett has made England play their best football since, um. A long time.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

So do we think that he can go one step further in 2019 and win the Ashes with GB?

 

[Pommy]

So do we think that he can go one step further in 2019 and win the Ashes with GB?

Depends what nonsense they come up with for team selection. If it’s england in red, white and blue maybe. If there’s forced inclusions of people to make up the numbers then no.

 

[roughyedspud]

So do we think that he can go one step further in 2019 and win the Ashes with GB?

GB aren't playing for the ashes..England v Australia in 2020 is for the ashes..

That's how ridiculous it is

 

[titoelcolombiano]

GB aren't playing for the ashes..England v Australia in 2020 is for the ashes..

That's how ridiculous it is

That's what I thought but the article refers to him coaching GB in 2019:

After a successful 2017 World Cup campaign, Bennett’s two-year contract will see him take charge of the national side for the International Series against New Zealand in 2018 and also for any Great Britain tour in 2019.

Either way, the starting line-up will be an all-English line-up. Do you think they can win the Ashes?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Depends what nonsense they come up with for team selection. If it’s england in red, white and blue maybe. If there’s forced inclusions of people to make up the numbers then no.

There might be some token Welsh, Scottish and Irish players in the squad but I think the starting line-up for each Ashes test will be the England team in a GB shirt. Do you think an Ashes win or a World Cup win would do more for putting the game on the map in England? Also, do you think an Ashes win would do anything for the game in the UK outside of England?

 

[roughyedspud]

The qualifications for the 2021 world cup is to be fully completed by December 2019...

Wales,Scotland & Ireland all have to qualify and with no qualification games happening at the end of this year,2018,all the qualification games will take place in Oct/Nov 2019...exactly when GB tour..

Like I've always said...GB creates far more problems than it solves...

 

[adamkungl]

There might be some token Welsh, Scottish and Irish players in the squad but I think the starting line-up for each Ashes test will be the England team in a GB shirt. Do you think an Ashes win or a World Cup win would do more for putting the game on the map in England? Also, do you think an Ashes win would do anything for the game in the UK outside of England?

It's gonna be a good laugh when the Scottish Irish and Welsh players are all B-grade Aussies.

Since it's a special touring team and not a national test team, I want to hope they give it something to differentiate it from England, but I don't expect they will except for the blue on the jersey.

How would it fly up north if the Lions were selected entirely from Super League? Burgess and Hodgson would miss out... but so would Heighno and McQueen lol.
It would separate itself nicely from the England team and make a huge statement if they beat Australia.

 

[roughyedspud]

All of it is a waste of time..

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It's gonna be a good laugh when the Scottish Irish and Welsh players are all B-grade Aussies.

Since it's a special touring team and not a national test team, I want to hope they give it something to differentiate it from England, but I don't expect they will except for the blue on the jersey.

How would it fly up north if the Lions were selected entirely from Super League? Burgess and Hodgson would miss out... but so would Heighno and McQueen lol.
It would separate itself nicely from the England team and make a huge statement if they beat Australia.

Since the starting line-up will probably be the England line-up (because they want to win afterall), you would hope that they bring the best Welsh, Irish and Scottish born and bred players into the squad, even just for the experience of training in the GB environment. If there are no Scots or Irish that make the cut then bring them as extras to the squad for training and experience anyway.

 

[roughyedspud]

What's more important..

Regan grace being a GB squad member
Or
Regan grace helping Wales beat whoever in the RLWCQs

?

 

[Pommy]

There might be some token Welsh, Scottish and Irish players in the squad but I think the starting line-up for each Ashes test will be the England team in a GB shirt. Do you think an Ashes win or a World Cup win would do more for putting the game on the map in England? Also, do you think an Ashes win would do anything for the game in the UK outside of England?

Im all for GB if we only play as GB. I personally see myself as British before English though, other people’s opinions may vary.
I don’t really see GB doing very much for the sport though.
A strong national side in England be it red and white or red white and blue certainly wouldn’t hurt the sport.

As for choosing a side without NRL players, nonsense like that should remain in the past. Pick the best English/British players available.

 

[roughyedspud]

Someone just posted on TRL that Bennett wants to take a 30 man GB squad made up of 21 english and 3 each from Wales,Scotland & Ireland...that's if Ireland take part..

I can't support any team selected by quota

 

[adamkungl]

Someone just posted on TRL that Bennett wants to take a 30 man GB squad made up of 21 english and 3 each from Wales,Scotland & Ireland...that's if Ireland take part..

I can't support any team selected by quota

Damned if they do damned if they don't. And you weren't supporting it anyway!

 

[roughyedspud]

I know lol

I hope they get hammered and some of them fail to qualify for the world cup..

 

[roughyedspud]

So....apparently Ireland aren't too keen on being apart of this GB nonsense as they believe,rightly,the RLWC takes priority..

But apparently the RLIF (namely Nigel wood) have told the RLi they must take part in the GB nonsense and lose 3 of their best players or else they'll have a unfair advantage going into the RLWCQ with a full strength team.

That's fxxking disgusting..

 

[titoelcolombiano]

So....apparently Ireland aren't too keen on being apart of this GB nonsense as they believe,rightly,the RLWC takes priority..

But apparently the RLIF (namely Nigel wood) have told the RLi they must take part in the GB nonsense and lose 3 of their best players or else they'll have a unfair advantage going into the RLWCQ with a full strength team.

That's fxxking disgusting..

Wow what a c**k up. Every nation has the right to put out their best squad especially when it comes their players being torn between a WCQ and a team that isn't eligible to play in the world cup. How can the RLIF make this decision if it is their very job to hold the world cup up as the pinnacle of the game.