Bennett backs Burgess, Graham as World Cup coaching duo; Brigginshaw retires from Origin

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Wayne Bennett believes a Sam Burgess and James Graham coaching dream team would give England their best chance of winning the World Cup following the shock axing of Shaun Wane.

Wane parted ways with England early on Friday, a move that was expected after a dreadful Ashes campaign where Australia won the three-Test series by a combined score of 70-8.

Sam Burgess has been given a healthy push to take over England’s top job.

South Sydney boss Bennett oversaw England when they lost the World Cup final in 2017 – a 6-0 thriller against Australia – and while he had given no thought to returning to the post, he said the two top candidates were two of the best to have worn the jersey.

Burgess is coaching Warrington in the Super League, while Bennett said Graham’s passion and knowledge of football would make him a wonderful deputy.

Willie Peters, who coached Hull KR to Super League glory last season – and won plenty of admirers inside the Kangaroos camp while working as an assistant to Kevin Walters during the Ashes – has also been named as a contender by the English press.

Bennett, however, said: “Sam and James are my ideal choices as coaches. Sam is one of the best players I’ve worked with, and James Graham was outstanding during my time with him as English coach.

James Graham and Sam Burgess embrace after an NRL game.

“Their passion was unbelievable, and they brought the English team a long way from where they had been.

“They were committed guys, they were just good football players; through their leadership on and off the field, they made my job so much easier.

“They’re young, and they have an eye for it, and I know what they’re made of.

“Sam is coaching at the moment, so James could be an assistant. You just want them in the team because they care and they have the respect of everybody who played during their era.

“They have to go down that path and pick those guys because of what they bring.”

The rise of New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa means they are genuine World Cup contenders, along with short-priced favourites and host nation Australia, whose coach, Walters, is expected to remain in the top job for the tournament, to be played locally in October and November.

England, Bennett said, had the talent and experience to push deep into the tournament – and the game as a whole would thrive with a competitive English side.

Bennett said the tournament would be “the most contested Cup of all time”, and there were “three or four nations capable of winning who were not capable of winning in the past”.

While the Kiwis, Samoans and Tongans are full of NRL talent, Bennett said it was also easy to forget Fiji had made the quarter-finals in 2022, and semi-finals in 2017 and 2013.

England featured plenty of NRL talent, including one of the game’s top centres, Herbie Farnworth, AJ Brimson, Morgan Smithies, new Wests Tigers recruit Kai Pearce-Paul, while a player like Roosters enforcer Victor Radley will come into World Cup contention.

Brigginshaw retires from State of Origin

Queensland captain Ali Brigginshaw has announced her immediate retirement from State of Origin football.

The Maroons’ most-capped player of the NRLW era said on Friday she had decided to focus on her final season with Brisbane.

Brigginshaw endured a disappointing 2025 Origin campaign by her lofty standards and was benched for the third game of the series.

The 36-year-old utility said immediately after the Maroons’ 2-1 series loss she was open to playing on but has since reconsidered her future.

“After many restless nights over the off-season, I have decided to end my time in the Origin arena and focus all my energy on the Broncos for the upcoming season, which will be my last in rugby league,” Brigginshaw said.

“I can’t put into words what playing for Queensland meant to me. Pulling on the Maroon jersey made me feel bulletproof.

“Historic moments, amazing teams and great mates.”

Brigginshaw has not missed a game for the Maroons since the NRLW era began in 2018, captaining the side in 12 of those 13 matches.

Prior to that, she played seven interstate games for Queensland, the first of those in 2009 as a 19-year-old.

Brigginshaw started at halfback, lock and five-eighth for the Maroons in the Origin era and led the side to victory in the historical inaugural three-match series in 2024.

Lauren Brown started at halfback in Brigginshaw’s place for Origin III last year and looms as an option to partner Tarryn Aiken in the halves for 2026.

The women’s State of Origin series begins in Newcastle on April 30, with the NRLW season kicking off in July.

Broncos veteran Brigginshaw announced last year she would retire after the reigning premiers’ 2026 campaign.

At the time she pointed to constant speculation about her playing future as weighing into her decision to retire.

with AAP