Rugby league-England appoint McDermott as head coach ahead of World Cup


April 23 (Reuters) - ⁠England have appointed four-time Super ⁠League Grand Final-winning coach Brian McDermott ‌to replace Shaun Wane as head coach ahead of this year's Rugby League World ​Cup in Australia.

The 56-year-old, ⁠who enjoyed a ⁠trophy-laden eight-year spell at Leeds Rhinos, comes ⁠into ‌the role after Wane stepped down in January.

"I’ve ⁠always been hands-on and close to ​the detail, ‌and that will be important in ⁠this ​role," McDermott said in a Rugby Football League (RFL) statement on Thursday.

"My job ⁠now is to get ​the standards right, build belief in the group, and make sure we’re ready ⁠when it matters.”

The 17th edition of the World Cup runs from October 15 to November 15. England ​open their campaign ⁠against Tonga in Perth on October 17, ​before facing France ‌and Papua New Guinea.

(Reporting ​by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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