England re-emerged as a credible contender at the top of the rugby league tree at the 2017 World Cup, pushing Australia all the way in the final. But they must not be allowed to slip back into the mire.
Wayne Bennett proved to be a canny hire at the start of 2016. The veteran coach got England all the way to the final, the first time since 1995. Only a last-ditch ankle tap by Josh Dugan stood in the way of ultimate glory in Brisbane. England have come a long way in the past 18 months and that momentum needs to be maintained.
To do that re-signing Bennett must be the priority. While the Clint Eastwood-lookalike might despise the media and hate promotional duties, ‘Benny’ knows rugby league. He knows how to win and he knows how to motivate his players. Few would have tipped England to reach the World Cup final. Even fewer would have picked them to push the Kangaroos all the way, and allow the Aussies to score only one try in the decider.
England’s players have taken Bennett to heart and built a bond with him. They are now a tight, together unit with few of the issues of the past. He is getting the best out of them and made them believe they can beat the best. He must be retained.
Bennett wants the match against New Zealand in Denver to go ahead mid-season. Considering the importance of the game against Samoa in Sydney in 2017, the Rugby Football League should move heaven and earth to get it sorted. England will get better by playing more together and the Kiwis will present top-class opposition, despite their dismal World Cup campaign.
Four games against the same opposition in New Zealand in 2018 might be a tad overkill, but it will also be a great testing point. Beat the Kiwis four times in a row and there will be a real buzz around the national team. The proposed European championship, rugby league’s version of the Six Nations, can also feed into this.
The likes of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy should be able to call on their top quality Super League and NRL stars for an end-of-season tournament. If they do then fans will be treated to quality contests. England has enough depth to challenge both in that competition and the Kiwis at the same time. The resurrection of the England Knights would be timely with the next World Cup on home soil only four years away.
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Many of Bennett’s team that went to the 2017 World Cup won’t be part of the England set-up in 2021. Kevin Brown will be 37, Luke Gale 33, Chris Hill 34, James Roby 36, James Graham 36, Ryan Hall 34 and Jermaine McGillvary 33 in four years time, while captain Sean O’Loughlin will have retired. There’s a good chance all of them won’t be involved in 2021.
Bennett and his assistants near to earmark who will be the core of that team at the next World Cup alongside the likes of Gareth Widdop, Kallum Watkins and the Burgesses, and start to bring them into the fold. At half-back that means the likes of Jordan Lilley, Danny Richardson, Declan Patton and Jacob Truemen. On the wings and centres that means Liam Marshall, Greg Minikin, Olivier Gildart and Tom Johnstone. In the forwards that means Joe Greenwood, Liam Watts and Ryan Sutton.
Planning for the next World Cup should begin now. Getting its international calendar for the next four years sorted, keeping Bennett and building depth beneath the first-choice XIII will keep England within sight of Australia.
