The Rugby Football League will confirm Wayne Bennett’s reappointment as England coach in the next 48 hours – but the Castleford coach, Daryl Powell, has decided against taking a role with the national side for now.
Bennett has been persuaded to stay on as coach after guiding England to the World Cup final last year, with the 68-year-old’s next game in charge set to be the groundbreaking Test against New Zealand in Denver in June.
Powell had been offered a deal to join Bennett’s support staff, in a role initially supporting the Australian before potentially succeeding him as head coach. But the Guardian understands that Powell has turned down that role – though it is likely the RFL will return to discussions with the 52-year-old further down the line.
Powell has transformed Castleford into one of Super League’s elite sides since taking charge of the Tigers in 2013. Long touted as a future coach of England, the former Great Britain half-back has opted to focus on his club commitments for now.
The RFL accepted the recommendation of Bennett from its rugby director, Kevin Sinfield, who conducted a review into the national side’s performance at the World Cup. It means Bennett, who also coaches Brisbane Broncos in National Rugby League, will be at the England helm for the Test against New Zealand in Denver, which will also be confirmed imminently.
The game is the idea of the Australian sports promoter Jason Moore, who is at the heart of the United States’ hosting of the 2025 World Cup. While the game is understood to have received a lukewarm response from leading NRL sides, some of whom are reportedly reluctant to release their players to travel to Denver, the game has been given the go-ahead.
Both the RFL and the New Zealand Rugby League have sanctioned the Test, which will take an elite international rugby league match to the US for the first time in the sport’s history.
