“I was always an advocate, whether I was picked or not” England star’s Shaun Wane verdict

St Helens star Tommy Makinson said he was ‘buzzing’ when he found out that Shaun Wane would remain as England’s head coach.

Back in February, it was announced that Wane had signed a contract extension that would see him lead England through to the end of the 2025 World Cup in France.

Makinson, who was part of the England side that lost to Samoa in the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup, was pleased to see the Rugby Football League keep Wane on after their World Cup review.

“I’m buzzing Waney is still in charge which he should be,” Makinson told Love Rugby League.

“I was always an advocate, whether I was picked or not, that Shaun Wane should lead the country.

“For one, he’s a great bloke and two, he’s a great coach.”

Tommy Makinson: I always want to pull on the England shirt

Wane has insisted that his team will continue to be picked on merit. You could be 21 or 35, if you are playing the best in your position, then you’ll be in.

Makinson added: “I always want to pull on the England shirt, I know there’s thoughts on 2025 as well so it’ll see where I’m at because I’ll be 33 or 34 come the next World Cup.

“Waney might be thinking of different people for that but I think as long as you’re performing on the field, Waney will pick the best players.

“Rugby league is simple, you’ve got to be playing well. If you are not playing good enough, you won’t play.

“You know where you stand with him, he’s a great bloke and I’m really happy he’s still going ahead with it.”

Preparation for the 2025 World Cup begins in April. England’s men and women take on France in a double-header at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in Warrington on April 29.

England are likely to host Tonga in a three-match test series at the end of the year too, but it has yet to be officially confirmed.

Shaun Wane keen to build on last year’s World Cup

It wasn’t the way Wane or England wanted to end last year’s World Cup as they bowed out to Samoa in the semi-finals at the Emirates.

“I won’t get over that for a long, long time,” Wane said. “It really affected me the way we lost and it will do for a few months.

“The competition was great. It was the best six or seven weeks of my life but it was just the way we finished and the manner of how we finished.

“Previous to the semi-final I thought we did some good things, the country was proud of us, I liked how we played and we did a good job.

“The players were fantastic in how they adapted to our way of playing and it showed with the way we played previous to the semi-final but when it really mattered we didn’t turn up and that was disappointing.”

Wane says there was never any doubt that he wanted to carry on and lead his country through to the next World Cup.

He added: “I’m an Englishman and I’m very, very proud to be one so I’d never do that (not want to carry on). I’d always want to coach England.”

Tickets are now on sale for England’s double-header against France in Warrington on Saturday, April 29.

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