Wayne Bennett, the new England coach, has informed Super League clubs of a series of events he wants to organise in order to prepare England for the 2017 World Cup – but it has caused unrest among some of the competition’s leading clubs.
Bennett attracted criticism for not undertaking any media duties during his short visit to the country this week, his only spell in England before the Four Nations that starts at the end of October. The 66-year-old attended three Super League games but did not meet clubs to discuss his proposed schedule for next year first-hand, instead telling them via video link at a meeting of the Super League clubs earlier this week.
Bennett wants clubs to agree to a two-week training camp for England players at the start of next year, shortly before the Super League season starts. He has also expressed his desire for a one-week break in the middle of the league campaign to allow him to take a group abroad for a mid-season friendly, with Dubai a potential location to take on a select side.
Bennett’s biggest demand is to have England players meet the national conditioning team as frequently as once a month in order to ensure that they can mount a credible threat against Australia and New Zealand when the tournament begins.
There has been mixed reaction among Super League clubs about most of Bennett’s requests, most notably concerning whether he will be in the country for the pre-season camp, as he will be preparing his club side, Brisbane Broncos, for their NRL season. Furthermore, he is understood to have met only one Super League coach – his England assistant, Widnes’s Denis Betts – during his trip.
