England coach McNamara is confident of future success

England coach Steve McNamara is confident that a more competitive Super League will help him deliver success at international level.

McNamara, now an assistant at Sydney Roosters, is a huge fan of the new structure for the domestic game and believes the reduction of teams in Super League from 14 to 12 will produce the more intense competition that can help elite players compete more evenly with Australia and New Zealand.

Speaking from Sydney to media at the Rugby Football League's Manchester base, the former Bradford boss says he has been encouraged by the early signs after watching the first rounds of Super League in which every team has collected points.

"We've done a lot of things with the England programme to enhance our chances of being successful but I always felt the biggest percentage gain could be through our domestic competition, in making it the strongest it could be and challenging the individual players every single week," McNamara said.

"It's probably one of the biggest steps that's been made to improve our game and I hope they don't judge it over one season. They need to give it a fair crack at this to make our game strong."

McNamara is planning to come over to England to oversee a mid-season training camp in preparation for the autumn Test series against New Zealand but accepts the new structure may place more demands on his Super League-based players.

"We'll certainly be getting together at some point," he said of the regular camps at Loughborough University. "It's been very successful for us but what form that takes is still part of our discussions.

"The clubs have been very forthcoming over the last few years but that may change slightly with the new structure.

"I think it will increase our chances of international success so, if there is a slight drop-off in the number of days we have with the players, it will be more than offset by the fact that they will be playing in a stronger competition this year."

We've done a lot of things with the England programme to enhance our chances of being successful.

The former Hull, Bradford and Huddersfield forward is out of contract with both England and the Roosters at the end of the season but insists he is relaxed about the situation.

"I'm really comfortable with where I'm at," he said. "I'm in no rush to decide which path my career goes down next.

"It's exciting times on both fronts. With England, there is a lot of work in front of us. We've made some progression and improvement been close in the last couple of years. I'm really relaxed about the contract situation, I always have
been.

"This year is about winning this Test series. We're all excited by the prospect of playing the Four Nations champions three times.

"The progression to winning the next World Cup would naturally involve trying to beat New Zealand in this one anyway so all our focus is on this series and the World Cup after that will take care of itself."

McNamara is delighted England will play France ahead of the three-match series against New Zealand, especially after going in "cold" for the 2014 Four Nations Series Down Under.

"Last year was tough," he said. "Because our season finished a week after the NRL, it gave us very little preparation going into that first game against Samoa.

"Playing France is very important for a number of reasons, to prepare us for the Test series against New Zealand but the northern hemisphere needs a strong France."

The Kiwis series includes a game at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday, October 7 (2.30pm kick-off).

"The players absolutely love playing in London and to be the first rugby league to play in the Olympic stadium is a real credit to the organisers," added McNamara, who also revealed that the England Knights could have fixtures this year after going into hibernation in 2014.