Brian McDermott leaves role as USA coach

Leeds Rhinos boss Brian McDermott has left his position as head coach of the USA national side.

The 48-year-old has combined his role with the Hawks with his full-time role as Rhinos coach for the last three years.

McDermott’s contract with the USRL expired at the end of the World Cup last autumn and he has now told the board that he is stepping down as the coach.

He was appointed coach of the United States national team in 2015 and took them to the 2017 Rugby League World Cup thanks to wins over Jamaica and Canada in the qualifiers.

USA didn’t make it through the group stages though, having lost to semi-finalists Fiji, Italy and the highly impressive Papua New Guinea at last year’s tournament.

The USRL will be looking to appoint a coach pretty swiftly, with the Hawks’ next fixture being a Test against rival nation Canada in June.

The Test match will be a curtain-raiser for England’s headline clash with New Zealand at the Mile High Stadium in Denver on Saturday, June 23.