Brian McDermott believes he can devise the code to finally defeat England’s quest to win their first Rugby League World Cup and end Australia’s years of dominance.
McDermott was confirmed on Thursday to replace Sean Wayne, who resigned in January, after the Ashes’ 3-0 win over Australia, and has been tasked with delivering England’s first World Cup win.
Co-hosts and defending champions Australia have won nine of the past 10 World Cups and pose a formidable obstacle for England, who have not won since 1995.
But an enthusiastic McDermott insists the gap can be closed and three-time runners-up England can take the final step.
“For players who are based in the UK and teams who are primarily from a completely different sport than the NRL, we need to have precise plans,” Mr McDermott said.
“You have to have specific plans, not general plans. You can never copy what other countries are doing. If you’re going to go deep into the tournament, it won’t look the same.”
“When Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, he wasn’t ashamed of not having as strong a right hand as Klitschko. He wasn’t going to stand in front of Wladimir and trade punches.
“He had to do something different. He used a game plan that Klitschko wasn’t used to and got the job done. Take what you want from that.”
McDermott added: “You can close[the gap]and you can win the competition, but if you stand in front of Wladimir Klitschko and lie to yourself and say your right hand is as strong as his, it’s not.”
“If anyone thinks I’m saying we can’t win, they’re not listening. We can win. We absolutely can. But we have to do some things differently.”
Brian McDermott is the most successful coach in Super League history
McDermott downplays part-time concerns
He beat the likes of Sam Burgess, Paul Lawrie, Brad Arthur and Steve McNamara to secure his place in the England squad and is now counting down the days until England’s opening World Cup match against Tonga on October 17th.
McDermott revealed that his first job as head coach will be to assemble the coaching staff and make first contact with the players, a role he confirmed will be carried out from Australia, where he is currently an assistant coach with the National League’s Gold Coast Titans.
The 56-year-old dismissed concerns about taking up the England job on a part-time basis after signing a contract until the end of the World Cup, insisting geographical challenges could be overcome and expressing a desire to stay long-term.
“There are some challenges, but now with the internet you can watch the games and see the vision you need,” McDermott said.
“Even if you’re not an England manager, you’ve already watched enough Super League games. Ironically, even if you’re based in the UK, you’ll still be meeting the players on Zoom anyway.
“I’m interested in taking the job beyond the World Cup.”
‘Game Breaker’ Connor returns to action for England
McDermott also extended an olive branch to Super League Man of Steel Jake Connor after Wayne controversially removed the Leeds half-back against the Ashes last year.
Asked if Connor was in his plans for the World Cup, McDermott said: “Yes, for sure. Absolutely.”
“I think the rhetoric and narrative surrounding Jake has been very unfair. I understand where he’s coming from. He’s loved by some people and hated by others. That comes from the nature of the game.
“We could sit around the table and discuss whether he was a good person or not. I don’t think it’s fair to put that out there, but that was still the rhetoric around him.
“What no one can argue with is he’s a tremendous player. He’s fantastic. He’s a game-breaker.”
2026 Super League – Important dates and highlights
Paris Super League: Saturday 6 June: Catalans Dragons v Wigan Warriors (Paris), 6:30pm UK (Sky Sports) Magic Weekend: 4 July – 5 July Rivals Round Reversal: 23 July – 26 July Elimination Play-offs: 19 September – 20 September Play-off Semi-Finals: 26 September – 27 September Grand Final: October 3rd, Old Trafford.
Sky Sports will continue to broadcast every Super League match live this season. Exclusively live, including two matches from each round, the remaining five matches will be shown weekly on Sky Sports+.
