McDermott named England head coach

Former Leeds Rhinos head coach Brian McDermott has been appointed as the new England head coach.McDermott will lead his country for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup in Australia at the end of this season. He was chosen by a panel comprised of Kevin Sinfield, new Rugby Football League (RFL) non-executive director Sara Symington, interim RFL chief executive Abi Ekoku and RFL chair Nigel Wood, with RFL executive director of performance and participation Marc Lovering offering support. The Gold Coast Titans assistant coach replaces Shaun Wane in the role, who stepped down in January following England's 3-0 loss in the Ashes.Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream contract-free on NOWDownload Sky Sports app for expert analysis, video and moreChoose the Sky Sports push notifications you wantMcDermott said: "I'm incredibly proud to take on the role of England Head Coach ahead of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup. "My focus now is on creating an environment where players can perform with confidence, represent the shirt with pride, and give themselves the best chance of going deep into the tournament. "I've always been hands-on and close to the detail, and that will be important in this role. My job now is to get the standards right, build belief in the group, and make sure we're ready when it matters." Also See: When is rugby league on Sky Sports? Stream Super League with no contract The Bench podcast with Jenna and Jon Latest rugby league news Sam Burgess, Steve McNamara, Brad Arthur, and Paul Rowley were also interviewed for the role.McDermott is Super League's most successful ever coach, his Leeds Rhinos side winning four Grand Finals including the iconic 'golden generation' treble-winning team of 2015 that included the likes of Sinfield, Rob Burrow, and Danny McGuire.McDermott began his tenure at the Rhinos in 2011 and remained there until 2018. He then took charge of Toronto Wolfpack and helped them to Super League promotion in 2019.After a brief period in charge of Featherstone Rovers, he then headed to the NRL where he has been an assistant coach for the Newcastle Knights and now the Titans.More to follow…This is a breaking news story that is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh this page for the latest updates.Sky Sports brings you live updates as they happen. Get breaking sports news, analysis, exclusive interviews, replays and highlights.Sky Sports is your trusted source for breaking sports news headlines and live updates. Watch live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, F1, Boxing, Cricket, Golf, Tennis, Rugby League, Rugby Union, NFL, Darts, Netball and get the latest transfers news, results, scores and more.Visit skysports.com or the Sky Sports App for all the breaking sports news headlines. You can receive push notifications from the Sky Sports app for the latest news from your favourite sports, you can follow @SkySportsNews on X to get the latest updates and you can also now follow Sky Sports' WhatsApp channel.2026 Super League - key dates and what to look out forSuper League in Paris: Sat Jun 6: Catalans Dragons v Wigan Warriors (Paris), 6.30pm UK (Sky Sports)Magic Weekend: July 4-July 5Rivals Round reversed: July 23-July 26Elimination Play-offs: September 19-September 20Play-off semi-finals: September 26-September 27Grand Final: October 3, Old Trafford.Sky Sports will again show every game of the Super League live this season - including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining five matches each week shown on Sky Sports+