England Rugby League have confirmed that Shaun Wane (Men), Stuart Barrow (Women) and Tom Coyd (Wheelchair) will be the national teams’ head coaches through to the 2025 World Cup in France.
After the men and women both suffered semi-final heartbreak at the 2021 World Cup, these are the men tasked with winning the World Cup in three years’ time. Wane guided England to the semi-finals, where they were heartbreakingly beaten by Samoa in golden point extra-time at London’s Emirates Stadium.
That loss still stings, but now he will get the chance to put things right in France. Meanwhile, England’s women were beaten by New Zealand in their semi-final, as Australia went on to win the entire tournament. Barrow, formerly head of England Talent Pathways, is now tasked with getting his side ready to compete with the southern hemisphere giants in 2025.
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Barrow will be assisted by the Leeds Rhinos head coach and former England captain Lois Forsell, and Dec Hardman, who was the head coach of St Helens when they secured a Women’s Challenge Cup and Super League double in 2021.
The major success last year however came as Coyd led England Wheelchair to an unforgettable World Cup win, beating France in the final last Autumn. The challenge of beating the host nation again, this time on opposition territory is one that the World Cup winners should relish.
“I am delighted to confirm these appointments and I wish all three coaches every success – beginning with the Men’s and Women’s Mid-Season Internationals against France in April,” RFL Chair Simon Johnson said.
“The RFL Board received and considered at length a detailed review of the performance of each of the England teams at RLWC2021. No stone was left unturned in the review, which included submissions from coaches, players and staff alike. The report generated a good, robust and lengthy discussion at our February board meeting. We are confident that we have the right people in place.”
Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup winner James Simpson hopes England's success can transform the sport into a "huge, global phenomenon" 🏴🏆
England’s Men and Women return to international action on Saturday 29 April for the first time since last year’s Rugby League World Cup – a double-header with France at Warrington which is the launchpad for a game-wide fundraising effort in aid of the MND Association.
5,000 people in the UK are living with MND, a progressive disease affecting the brain and the spinal cord for which there is currently no cure. England Rugby League kit partner Oxen, in associated with RL Commercial, will donate £10 from the sale of each England replica shirt to the MND Association, while £2.50 from every match ticket sold for the England v France internationals will also go to the charity.
Replica MND-themed shirts can be pre-ordered now at eliteprosports.co.uk for delivery by the first week of April in advance of the England v France matches on Saturday 29th April. Tickets for the Men’s and Women’s international double-header at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium are available to buy online now from only £20 Adults and £10 Under 16s. For every ticket sold, £2.50 will be donated to the MND Association.
