Wakefield Trinity coach Daryl Powell speaks out on new England boss Brian McDermott
Former rival Daryl Powell has welcomed Brian McDermot’s appointment as England coach.
McDermott, who was in charge of Leeds Rhinos when they beat Powell’s Castleford Tigers at Wembley in 2014 and Old Trafford three years later, was this week chosen to lead England’s campaign at the 2026 World Cup. Wakefield Trinity boss Powell, who did not apply for the role, described him as a “great appointment”.
Powell said: “I know him pretty well, I coached against him for a number of years. He’s a little bit different, Mac, as well. He’ll do things a bit different; he hasn’t got any fear of anything. It's what [former Royal] Marines get from what they do in a previous life.
“He won’t be afraid to do things differently, whether that’s selecting slightly different players than previous coaches or playing a little bit differently. I’ve read his comments and I kind of agree with him. I don’t think you can just try and play the Aussies at their own game. It would be pointless.
“I think it’s a wise appointment. I’m looking forward to seeing how he builds it and grows it. I think it’s great. I’m looking forward to seeing how England do.”
Powell reckons Trinity, who visit St Helens today (Saturday), have several candidates to play for England this autumn, including New Zealand-born New Zealand Caleb Hamlin-Uele who qualifies through an English-born grandparent.
“We've got quite a lot of players who are playing really well,” Powell said. “We've got people talking about Truey [Jake Trueman] all the time. He just needs to stay consistent.
“What you do for your club should dictate whether you get picked for international football or not. Tom Johnstone has been unbelievable and I feel like Mike (McMeeken) is coming back to his best now.
“I think there are stories to be told on everybody else here. I think we’ve got some potential players to put their hand up. The challenge for Mac is going to be to watch the games and getting connected with coaches over here so he can get the feedback he needs. I know he’ll watch a lot of games. I think him being connected to coaches over here would probably help the cause.”