Everything Shaun Wane said after England sealed Test Series whitewash against Samoa

England sealed a 2-0 series whitewash with a 34-16 victory against Samoa at Headingley on Saturday afternoon, maintaining their record of having won every game since the last World Cup.

Here’s everything head coach Shaun Wane had to say post-match in Leeds…

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On the performance in the second Test against Samoa…

Good, I thought we played well. Samoa were fantastic and I thought it was a good Test match. There were a few too many points (conceded) for me, I’m very defence orientated, but I thought Samoa were class.

On Herbie Farnworth’s Player of the Match performance…

Really, really good. I think in both games, he’s been outstanding. He’s a credit to the Dolphins and the NRL, and I’m just glad he’s English!

Without a shadow of a doubt, he has (been the outstanding performer in the series).

He’s trained well, and he’s had a bit of a personal problem this week so he missed a session, but he just came back and performed like that. He’s very easy to coach.

On other standout performers at Headingley…

I thought our bench was good.

I thought Morgan Knowles off the bench, Mike McMeeken, Tommo (Luke Thompson), they all came on and gave us a lift when we needed it, because we were a bit off at times.

Overall, I thought our bench was superb.

On Junior Nsemba’s debut…

He couldn’t wait to get off, could he!? He was absolutely blowing.

In all seriousness, I thought he was great, he did a good job.

It’s a big step up from Super League and I won’t repeat the words I said to him, but he was shocked at the speed and the quality of lines that he has to defend.

He’ll have learned a good lesson there Junior, and I thought he did some really good things. He’s a credit.

On his side capitalising with Samoa down to 12…

The referee saw it as a sin bin. He didn’t see Victor Radley’s as a sin bin when he’s been hit from behind, but we took advantage (when they were a man down).

That’s what you get when you’ve got George (Williams) and Harry (Smith) along with Daryl (Clark) and some good spine players.

I thought we did really well in staying focused and making sure that we attacked certain areas when he (Junior Pauga) was off the pitch.

On continuing to progress ahead of next year’s Ashes…

I was really happy with last year’s win against Tonga, and you see what they did this morning (beating New Zealand).

For us to have beaten them 3-0 (in the series), we did well. Doing this against Samoa and winning (this year’s series) 2-0, I thought it was an absolute credit to our players and staff and how hard they’ve worked.

Bare in mind that Samoa have had a lot more time on the field (together) than we have, but you couldn’t tell.

The way we played, I thought there was some fantastic rugby, especially in the first Test.

On the performance troubling Australia…

I don’t think so, and Ben (Gardiner, Samoa head coach) will say the same. There are areas where we need to get better.

We know what we’re capable of inside the group, inside the bubble, and we know that we need to improve.

There’s no doubt about that.

On 2025 mid-season plans…

I’ve had loads of messages from Super League clubs, and they all support the international calendar.

Whatever happens in the mid-season, they know how important this is… this Ashes Series at home, it needs to be well supported and it needs to be three fantastic games, which I’m sure it will.

Everybody’s done a great job in the RFL and in RL Commercial to get these (Samoa) games on and make sure that the Ashes goes on.

I’m sure the mid-season break will be used to make sure that we’re ready. We need to take advantage of that, and make sure that we do.

Mid-season plans aren’t locked in, it’s still up in the air. I’d like to have a camp and I’d like to have a tough game. There are a few things that I’d like, but what I get might be a different matter.

On the War of the Roses potentially returning…

I’d love that. I played in a few Yorkshire versus Lancashire games, and it would be great.

If I can sit back and watch them rip into each other… Briersy (Lee Briers) coaching Lancashire and Lasty (Andy Last) coaching Yorkshire, like an international trial, I’m sure it’d be fantastic.

I’m sure it will happen in the next few years.

On a War of the Roses clash being more productive than a game against France…

I think it would be without a shadow of a doubt if we get a really good top-flight sponsor to make sure it’s a big deal.

When you look at (State of) Origin, in the 1980s there was a couple of thousand at Sydney and a few more in Brisbane. They’ve stuck at it and look at that now, it’s a worldwide success.

We need to start somewhere and I think next year doing it would be fantastic.

On there definitely being a mid-season break…

We’ve got time with them (the players), we’ve got a mid-season break, so we’ll be doing something with them. Whether it’s here or abroad, doing something and playing France – we’ll be getting together.

We’re going to have to be smart with how we spend our time with the players and the players are up for it. They’re talking about nothing else other than Australia in there (the dressing room) and they’re excited by it.

I’m pleased that I can finally coach against Australia.

On speaking to the players about the Ashes Series…

I spoke to them and I talked about standards, I’ve just talked about it again.

Moving forward, in every game that those players play in, there’s an England standard that we need to be at to give ourselves a chance of beating a team like Australia.

There’s no point in hiding from it, we need to be better.

On where he’d like to see the Ashes Series held…

All three in Wigan would be good! I’ve not really thought about it… we’ve got that many potential venues.

I’m sure they’ll pick three really good venues and Australia haven’t been here (playing against us) for 20 years, so the atmosphere is going to be great.

You look at the superstars they’ve had, well we’ve got our own superstars, so it’s going to be fantastic.

On getting people interested in the international game ahead of the Ashes Series…

(Games like today are) massive. You see at the end of the game, you’ve got Victor Radley and Herbie Farnworth walking around, and all of the fans are there. There’s a spirit building.

I remember years ago going down to Wembley to watch Great Britain play and there was tens of thousands there, the atmosphere was fantastic.

We want those times back. I want to play Australia and for there to be 50/60,000 on baying for their blood with a good atmosphere.

We’re all patriotic and that’s what I want. I’d love to be coach when it’s like that again.