Bennett relishes England challenge

Wayne Bennett admits it won't be easy to turn England into World Cup champions but reckons juggling his NRL duties with Brisbane won't be a problem.

Brisbane Broncos NRL head coach Wayne Bennett

Broncos' Wayne Bennett has been appointed as England's new rugby league coach on a two-year deal. (AAP)

Now for Wayne Bennett's next trick.

The master coach reckons it will be easy to juggle NRL duties for Brisbane with his new job as England mentor.

But guiding England to World Cup glory? Not so much.

The Broncos mentor has polarised UK rugby league by replacing homegrown coach Steve McNamara at the England helm on a two-year deal.

He is now on a collision course with the man who pipped him for the Kangaroos job - Mal Meninga - and his Broncos assistant, New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney, at the 2016 Four Nations and 2017 World Cup.

But Bennett reckons he hasn't ruffle feathers at Brisbane.

He laughed off the suggestion on Wednesday that it would be a distraction as Brisbane plot to avenge their heartbreaking NRL grand final loss.

"That won't be hard," he smiled.

"That was one of the reasons I was keen to do the Australian job because it fits at the end of the football season.

"It's not going to impact on the club at all, that's pretty important to me."

England have never won a World Cup. They last made the final in 1995.

Asked if he wanted to take England "to the top", Bennett said: "That's why I am going there.

"It will be a difficult challenge. I understand that but I am up for that.

"I wouldn't have accepted the job if I didn't think I was.

"Hopefully we can make them a lot more competitive.

"There is still no better spectacle in sport than Australia against England whether it be cricket, rugby union or rugby league."

Coincidentally Bennett's appointment completes a clean sweep of Aussies at the helm of those three sports in England, much to the amusement of punters in Australia.

And, it seems, the annoyance of some in England.

Former England captains Jamie Peacock and Kevin Sinfield claim McNamara should have been re-appointed.

St Helens mentor Keiron Cunningham vouched for Super League champion Leeds' Brian McDermott.

What may niggle critics even more is that Bennett revealed he had been approached on and off over the past six years about the England job.

He felt the time was finally right.

He liked what he saw when world No.3 England upset champions New Zealand 2-1 in the UK in late 2015.

"I think the big turning point for them has been about 10 English players in the Australian competition now," Bennett said.

"It's a little bit like Origin 30-odd years ago when we brought the Queenslanders who were in NSW back to play for Queensland - it made all the difference.

"That's why their game is improving.

"They're playing with the best and against the best in Australia.

"They don't go into these games lacking any confidence as they may have done in the past."

Bennett offered a wry smile when asked about taking on his former charge Meninga.

"It will be good for the competition, it will get a lot of interest," he said.


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Source: AAP



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