Shaun Wane on potential return to club coaching after World Cup

England coach Shaun Wane will be open to making a return to club rugby after the World Cup but says it would have to be as a head coach.

The former Wigan boss is currently full-time with England in the build-up to the 2021 World Cup in the autumn but admits he misses the day-to-day involvement in the game.

Wane has a long-held ambition to coach in the NRL but says he would have to be in charge of a club and so rules out following the example of one of his predecessors, Steve McNamara, who went part-time after the 2013 World Cup to become assistant coach at Sydney Roosters and then New Zealand Warriors.

“I’m not a good assistant,” Wane said. “I tried it with Michael Maguire (at Wigan) and I was terrible.

“He might have thought I was okay. But I’m too opinionated, I need to be in charge.”

“I’m still contracted to the RFL,” he added. “Ralph (chief executive Ralph Rimmer) and the team have been really supportive to me and I want to deliver a really good World Cup.

“If something happens in club land here or overseas, I’d definitely listen to it. It could be part-time but everything I do is full-time.”

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One Super League vacancy has been filled, with Daryl Powell set to take over from Steve Price at Warrington in 2022, but there is still an opening at Castleford.

“The only thing I’m thinking about is the World Cup,” Wane said. “That’s my only focus.”

READ: Sam Tomkins in pole position to be England’s full-back at World Cup

Meanwhile, Wane will get a chance to meet up with his players face to face for the first time at Leeds Beckett University next Tuesday as he steps up preparations for the international against a Combined Nations All Stars on June 25.

“I need to get on the field,” he said. “I’ve lost a year of my time with the players so it’s catch-up.

“It’s okay over zoom but nothing is as good as being out on the field and physically seeing the players do it.”

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