Wayne Bennett would have to commit until he’s 71 to stay with England
Aussie boss is out of contract but Rugby Football League wants someone in place until the next World Cup
WAYNE Bennett would have to coach England until he is 71-years-old after being told the next contract will be a four-season term.
And NRL clubs may decide if he goes again or leaves as they will decide the proposed Test with New Zealand in Denver on June 23, which the Aussie said would form a big part of his decision, goes ahead.
Rugby Football League interim chief executive Ralph Rimmer says an announcement on the national boss could happen in the next two weeks – but it will be an appointment until the next world Cup in 2021.
He also admitted clubs Down Under need sweet talking to get the Kiwis match, which both they the New Zealand Rugby League want, on as he said: “It's got to be a four-year programme that gets us to the World Cup. We don't want to do anything that's one or two years.
“But I don't think Wayne’s involvement will be determined by Denver. There are a lot of other pieces of the jigsaw to put in place before we get to the right place.
“There’s some PR to resolved, some hearts and minds to be won, but Denver is definitely something we'd like to get on if possible.”
Rimmer, who has put his name in to replace departed RFL chief Nigel Wood, also admitted some Super League clubs want to raise the competition to 14 teams and the new national centre will be at either Manchester City’s Etihad Campus or Thorpe Park, Leeds.
He also admitted he would be willing to listen to promoter Eddie Hearn, who said the sport is in the wrong hands, adding: “Never say never. We're pretty open to ideas.”