Brian McDermott is convinced he can craft the strategy that finally ends England’s long wait for a Rugby League World Cup crown and puts an end to Australia’s historic dominance. Appointed on Thursday as the successor to Shaun Wane—who stepped down after a 3-0 Ashes defeat to the Kangaroos—McDermott now carries the weight of delivering England’s inaugural World Cup triumph.

Australia, the co‑hosts and defending champions, have hoarded nine of the last ten World Cup titles and have been a virtually insurmountable hurdle for England, who have not managed a win over the southern giants since 1995. Yet McDermott, speaking with unmistakable passion, insists that the disparity between the two nations is not a permanent barrier but a gap that can be bridged, and that England, now three‑time runners‑up, are ready to take the final step toward glory. "We need a game plan that is tailored to British‑based players and a squad that largely competes in a competition that is very different from the NRL," McDermpson explained.

"It can’t be a generic approach. We cannot simply copy what other countries are doing.

If we want to progress deep into the tournament, our tactics have to look entirely different from the norm." He drew an analogy to the 2015 boxing showdown in which Tyson Fury overcame Wladimir Klitschko. Fury never pretended his right hand matched Klitschko’s power; instead, he embraced a completely different style that caught the champion off‑guard. "He had to do something different.

He used a game plan Klitschko wasn’t used to and got the job done. Take from that what you will," McDermott said. The former player went on to stress that the gap between England and Australia is indeed bridgeable and that the competition is winnable—provided England does not fool itself into believing it can simply stand in front of a metaphorical Klitschko and expect to match his strength.

"If anyone thinks I’m saying we can’t win, they’re not listening. We can win. We can absolutely win. But we have to do some things differently," he added.

After beating out notable candidates such as Sam Burgess, Paul Rowley, Brad Arthur and Steve McNamara for the England job, McDermott now faces a ticking clock. England’s World Cup opener against Tonga is scheduled for 17 October, and the new head coach’s first priorities will be to assemble his backroom staff and begin contacting players.

He will undertake these duties from Australia, where he remains an assistant coach with the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL. At 56, McDermott addressed concerns about taking the role on a part‑time basis. He signed a contract that runs through the end of the World Cup and emphasised that modern technology mitigates any geographical obstacles.

"It does pose some challenges, but with the internet nowadays I can watch games and see the vision I need," he said. "I already watch enough Super League games without being England coach.

The irony is, even if I were based in the UK, I’d probably meet players on Zoom anyway. I would be interested in taking the job beyond the World Cup." McDermott also used the interview to extend an olive branch to Super League’s Man of Steel, Jake Connor.

Connor was controversially left out of the Ashes squad by Shaun Wane last year, a decision that sparked a heated debate among fans and pundits. When asked whether Connor would feature in his World Cup plans, McDermott replied unequivocally: "He is, for sure. Absolutely. I think the rhetoric and narrative around Jake was tremendously unfair.

I understand where he comes from – he’s liked by some and disliked by others. That comes with the nature of the game. We could sit around a table and debate whether he’s a nice person or not, but that’s not a fair narrative to make public. What nobody can argue is that he’s a tremendous player.

He’s fantastic. He’s a game‑breaker." Beyond the coaching appointment, the broader rugby league landscape is set for a busy season.

Sky Sports has confirmed that it will broadcast every Super League match live this year, offering two exclusive live fixtures each round and televising the remaining five matches weekly. This increased coverage will give fans more access to the sport and provide a valuable platform for England’s players to showcase their form ahead of the World Cup.

In summary, McDermott’s mandate is clear: devise a bespoke, British‑centric strategy, leverage technology to overcome distance, and foster a squad culture that embraces innovation over imitation. By doing so, he believes England can finally close the long‑standing gap with Australia and lift the Rugby League World Cup trophy for the first time in the nation’s history.

The journey begins on 17 October, and the eyes of the sport will be firmly fixed on how McDermott translates his vision into results on the world stage.