Archive July 2, 2025

Shaun Wane, England’s head coach, wants the big names in the Super League to increase the intensity of their team’s matches to help them get ready for the autumn Test series against Australia.

Before his contingent of Australian-based National Rugby League (NRL) players bolster the ranks at the end of the club season, the 60-year-old has selected a 32-person Super League-based squad to help embed his messages for the series against the world champions.

Wane is using the occasion to explain what he expects of players and what he wants them to improve, helping them to understand his demands at the highest level.

With six uncapped additions to the group based on individual performance, the coach has been given the upper hand when the standard has occasionally been poor. However, many people have excelled in Super League this year.

Wane told BBC Sport, “I looked at the St Helens and Leeds game from the previous week, and it was intense.” However, I require more standard test match games.

The coaches of the Super League say, “That’s what they want and what they’re working toward.” However, I need more low-scoring [matches], teams that are aggressive and don’t penalize anyone for their errors. That is the Ashes preparation.

There are still plenty of things for their autumn opponents to sort out before they board the planes for the “Old Dart,” despite Wane grappling with his own issues, most notably a lack of time on the field with his players.

After long-standing boss Mal Meninga left his position to take the position at the new NRL franchise, the Perth Bears, for whom a full roster must be created, a coach must be appointed.

If former captain Brad Fittler’s interview with Australian radio station 2GB is to be believed, which states that there must be sorting accommodations, training facilities, kit, and other tour essentials, logistics also need to be fixed.

Fittler canceled his job due to his media obligations, and recent reports suggest that former Kangaroos Cameron Smith might join him.

Wane anticipates high-quality opposition in October, regardless of who takes the baton.

“I hope there is chaos, that would be ideal!” “Wane joked, “Any advice you can give me the better.

However, they have a fantastic team, some excellent players to select from, and they will be competitive, so regardless of the coach, they will be ready to play when they visit this country in October.

“If we can have a full stadium at Wembley, that’ll do for me,” he said.

The most recent State of Origin representative series, which will end on July 9 in Sydney, has been designed to feature New South Wales and Queensland in one game. This gives England coaches a sense of what to expect.

When I play with things I want them to clip up, I whatsap on Lee Briers and Andy Last, Wane continued.

There is something special about getting the call for your country, even though the six newcomers are far from guaranteed a spot when they face the Green and Gold at Wembley on Saturday, October.

Leigh forward Owen Trout has represented the England Academy and the Knights, a group made up of players who were just starting out, but this is his first full senior position.

The Wakefield-born packman was pleased to be able to tell his family the good news, but nothing compares to the club’s head coach, Adrian Lam, who he had gotten ahold of.

He jumped up and down and grinned with joy when I first told him, according to Trout.

He probably reacted with more vigor than my father did. My father isn’t really emotional, though. My father was like, “Oh no, that’s good,” “Oh no, that’s good,” and he was very mellow.

Adrian is a very emotional person, and I was anticipating his happiness.

The Challenge Cup was won by Super League leaders Hull KR, and back-rower James Batchelor is one of their unsung heroes.

The opportunity to follow his brother Joe and become a full international is a major plus for the rest of 2025, as is the lure of facing the Kangaroos, and Batchelor saw his brother Joe becapped by England in 2022 and win domestic honors with St Helens.

We would wake up at five or six in the morning to watch those internationals, Batchelor told BBC Sport.

“When you were younger, it was England versus Australia,” but it became that way more frequently.

Sonay Kartal’s dominant victory over Viktoriya Tomova set her precedent for the first British player to advance to round three this year.

Due to rain in the morning, Wednesday’s play was delayed by more than two hours due to blistering heat for two days.

However, British number three Kartal immediately despatched Tomova with a 6-2, 6-2 victory following her impressive first-round victory over 20th seed Jelena Ostapenko.

Kartal has advanced to the third round of Wimbledon for the second year in a row.

“I wanted to recoup the run I did last year. I wanted to demonstrate that I can play consistently at this level right now.

“I have been putting myself on the spot for the past few months. I made a conscious effort to only play bigger games this year. I have a lot more confidence in my game now.

Kartal really took off in the sixth game of the opening set, breaking again at 5-2 up to take the first set after breaking her first break of serve.

Tomova struggled to recover in the second set after Kartal’s first four games, which she had won.

In the fifth game, Tomova was able to break Kartal’s serve, but it only served to halt the Briton’s excellent winning run.