Brian McDermott Appointed England Men's Rugby League Head Coach for 2026 World Cup

Brian McDermott will lead England's men into this autumn's Rugby League World Cup as their new head coach. The 56-year-old, who won four Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups, the World Club Challenge and the League Leaders' Shield in eight years as head coach of Leeds Rhinos, takes over from Shaun Wane, who stepped down in January. McDermott, currently working as an assistant coach at NRL club Gold Coast Titans, will take the England role on a part-time basis, in contrast to his full-time predecessor Wane. The Yorkshireman was selected by the Rugby Football League from a five-man shortlist, which also included current Leeds head coach Brad Arthur, Warrington's Sam Burgess, St Helens' Paul Rowley and former England head coach Steve McNamara. McDermott said: "I'm incredibly proud to take on the role of England head coach ahead of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. "My focus now is on creating an environment where players can perform with confidence, represent the shirt with pride, and give themselves the best chance of going deep into the tournament. "I've always been hands-on and close to the detail, and that will be important in this role. My job now is to get the standards right, build belief in the group, and make sure we're ready when it matters." McDermott began his career as a head coach in 2006 with Harlequins RL - now London Broncos - before taking charge of Leeds in 2010, enjoying a trophy-laden eight-year stint, during which he also coached the United States national team. He subsequently had spells with Toronto Wolfpack and Featherstone, before becoming an assistant coach at Newcastle Knights in 2022, and then the Titans last September. England's World Cup campaign in Australia begins against Tonga in Perth on 17 October, with games against France and Papua New Guinea to follow. Hull KR's treble-winning head coach Willie Peters had told the BBC in February that he was keen to have discussions over the role, but ruled himself out of the running by accepting an offer to join new NRL side Papua New Guinea Chiefs at the end of this season. When a rugby league great in Kevin Sinfield says Brian McDermott is the best coach he ever played under, it is a clear sign his appointment as England head coach for the forthcoming World Cup cannot be taken lightly. There is no denying the 56-year-old's roll of honour - four Super League titles, two Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge, all achieved with Leeds. He has also expanded on his head coaching experience at London, the Rhinos, Toronto and Featherstone with stints as an assistant in the NRL with Newcastle and Gold Coast. The former marine, who also boxed during his time in the services before a distinguished playing career as an aggressive front-rower, has an intimidating aura and could be described as a complex character. To his inner sanctum, his players in particular, he can be a jovial character - quoting Alan Partridge and enjoying typical training ground banter in between his demanding push for high standards. That's not to say he's universally liked by his personnel, and his manner of dealing with the dropping of players such as Rob Burrow caused genuine friction, as outlined in the late England star's book - although in fairness McDermott also contributed to said publication. An area where McDermott's more playful side was far less evident was in his dealings with the media. If England want a smooth diplomat who will charm the media pack, then McDermott is probably the wrong guy for the job. However, Australian 'supercoach' Wayne Bennett was similarly awkward in his approach to the media, and his appointment did England little harm - almost taking them to World Cup glory in 2017, when they lost the final narrowly to Australia. McDermott will have little chance to work with the players before taking his selected squad to the World Cup this October. His task will be to bring the players together and give them the best chance of challenging the Australian dominance of the competition. He will certainly have seen plenty of the opposition in his recent and current roles down under. Who joins his coaching staff could also be interesting - as he assesses the mix of dynamics and personalities needed to get the best out of England's elite.