Will Wayne Bennett lead England to World Cup glory?
Wednesday 25 October 2017 10:45, UK
Every England fan is counting down the days to Friday's World Cup opener in Melbourne against Australia, a game that may give a stronger indication of whether Wayne Bennett's side have a chance of defying the odds and returning as world champions.
For England to lift the World Cup on December 2 they will have to be at their very best, and with Wayne Bennett at the helm they have a man who has a coaching record second to none. A man who is not afraid to make big calls, as he has done throughout his distinguished career.
Many Super League clubs were unhappy about his decision to play a mid-season Test against Samoa in May, a game Bennett believes was vital preparation for the tournament. His squad selection for the World Cup has also raised question marks among many.
Nevertheless, as all England fans look forward to seeing how far their side can go, surely one of the greatest coaches in the game's history is the perfect candidate to guide them to World Cup glory?
Taking over from Steve McNamara in 2016, Bennett has won three of his five Tests in charge. England's failure to make the Four Nations Final last year was seen as a huge disappointment by the fans, many expecting immediate success from the man who had won six Australian titles with Brisbane between 1992-2000 and one with St George in 2010. A modern-day record.
His indifferent approach to the English media also led to him being criticised, especially after England's 38-12 win over Scotland in last year's Four Nations. Throughout his career, Bennett has never been keen on dealing with the media; he's a coach who prefers to let his players do the talking for him.
It is said that Bennett was at his happiest when at Canberra during the 1987 season when he worked alongside former Kangaroo coach Don Furner. Furner would deal with the press, allowing Bennett to focus on the coaching the team.
The man who holds the record for most Premiership matches as a coach in Australia, 788 over 31 seasons, has a unique style which has brought him unrivalled success. It is a style not to everyone's liking, however, his record can't be questioned.
Bennett's tenure as England coach isn't the first time he has coached on the international stage. He coached Australia on two occasions, 1998 and 2004-2005, before working alongside New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney at the 2008 World Cup when the Kiwis lifted the trophy.
This was a team that had the ability to beat the Australia on the biggest stage, they just needed the belief that they could. A striking resemblance many would say to the current situation with the English side.
The England squad for Friday's encounter with Australia contains all seven NRL representatives in the squad, including 2017 Dally M five-eighth of the year Gareth Widdop. Halifax-born Widdop is expected to partner reigning Man of Steel Luke Gale in the halves.
As Brisbane coach, Bennett will have come up against all of these players last season, and although 2017 wasn't the best year for each player's respective team - with none making the end-of-season finals - the competitiveness and closeness of the games will help those players in the World Cup campaign.
Bennett, who claimed four series wins as coach of Queensland, has often commented that the State of Origin series in Australia gives the Kangaroos a huge advantage on the international stage. The high standard and physical nature of this annual series is recognised as valuable preparation for the Kangaroos, a luxury the northern hemisphere doesn't have.
If England are to perform and produce a threat this time out they need to improve from their Four Nations campaign in 2016, and Bennett will hope that lessons have been learned from the disappointment of a year ago. He will be hoping the players can maintain the standards they have shown individually for their club sides over the last 12 months.
Bennett has spoken openly leading up to Friday's game that lowering the number of penalties conceded and reducing handing errors will put his side in a much stronger position in games, commenting that England "beat themselves more than the opposition beat them".
The 74-12 warm-up win over the Combined Affiliated States on Friday showed a glimpse of what England could achieve over the next six weeks. Hopefully, with the knowledge and experience that Bennett brings to England along with his assistants Denis Betts, Paul Anderson, Paul Sculthorpe and Paul Wellens, the England side has the necessary ingredients to cook up World Cup success in 2017.
It's been 45 years since Great Britain lifted the Rugby League World Cup, but could the trophy finally return to the northern hemisphere in 2017 with Bennett providing the catalyst needed to guide England to the trophy they crave so much?
