England boss Wayne Bennett feels Denver Test can break new turf for rugby league
NRL and clubs were dead against game against New Zealand but veteran Aussie believes this could be the start of something big
WAYNE Bennett believes England can help take rugby league to a new level, no matter what whingeing Aussies say.
The NRL and clubs Down Under were against Saturday’s game against New Zealand in Denver.
But national boss Bennett feels it is time to try somewhere new, after little progress in more than 100 years.
The fact his squad is in Colorado, with several NRL-based players ignoring the moans, shows the Test’s importance.
Veteran Australian Bennett, who kept everyone guessing by naming his team in alphabetical order when players can occupy different roles, said: “A long-term vision is important.
“We’ve been around for more than 100 years but we still play in the same places, so it’s important we showcase the game.
“There’s a World Cup in North America in 2025, so it’s important we start to play a lot more so the American people understand what rugby league is.
“It’s important. The players think it’s important, we wouldn’t have come otherwise and we wouldn’t have fought as hard as we did to get the game on.”
Jake Connor and Tommy Makinson will make their debut as England look to progress after their World Cup near miss.
But they feared they would be blown away as their hotel issued a tornado warning.
If anything had come of Tuesday’s drama, Connor may have had the same look on his face – he is in awe of his boss.
The Hull man said: “He’s an inspirational speaker and I’m just sat there looking and listening.”
