England head coach Steve NcNamara believes working with NRL champions Sydney Roosters will improve the national team's chances of ending their elusive search for major silverware.
McNamara, who gave up his job as head coach of Bradford to succeed Tony Smith in 2010, is delighted to return to the daily grind of club coaching and has no qualms about being an assistant to former Catalan Dragons boss Trent Robinson, a man six years his junior.
No ego
"I've got no ego whatsoever," he said. "Trent is a great friend and a great coach. He's got some great staff around him and it's a great opportunity for me to be involved with them.
"I've come to a great club and it's a great part of the world to be in, particularly at this time of year."
McNamara had been linked with a switch of codes, with Bath reportedly making him an offer to become their skills coach, when his contract with the RFL ran out.
But the ex-Hull player, who had brief spells with St George in 1991 and 1993 and toured Australia with Great Britain in 1992, has long held an ambition to coach in the NRL and admits the Roosters' job offer was too good to turn down.
"I managed a little crack at it as a player and I've had various other trips," he said. "The opportunity to coach in the NRL was something I really wanted to do before my career was finished.
"I wouldn't want to speak specifically about any other opportunities. A couple presented themselves but there was opportunity to come to Sydney and I had a bit of unfinished business with England as well.
"We got so close in so many ways and, wondering what could and might have been, I want to have another opportunity at that as well."
