Shaun Wane names club he wants to coach as he teases Super League return

England boss and Wigan icon Shaun Wane will remain in his post until the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup - but already has his eyes set on a return to Super League

Shaun Wane has revealed he plans to eventually return to full-time club coaching – and admits he has always fancied the top job at Leeds.

Wane will bid to guide England to victory over Samoa at Headingley tomorrow, which would wrap up the series and be another massive boost after last year’s 3-0 series whitewash of Tonga.

Yet Wane confessed he longs for a full-time return to the club scene, saying he is “selling himself short” with his part-time England gig.

Wane loves coaching England and will remain in the post until at least the 2026 World Cup – it also works well with his part-time leadership and management role at Wigan Warriors and regular public speaking engagements.

But when asked if he saw himself being head coach of a club again in the future, 60-year-old Wane said: “Yes, definitely. Especially when I get into preparing for matches, doing one-on-ones with the players, and having team meetings where I really get into it – like I have this week.

“I said to my missus ‘I like this!’ so I feel like I’m under-selling myself at the minute. I do my speaking, I do my job at Wigan and I do this as well. I have a good laugh, but I’d do everything for nothing, so I’m very lucky.

"But it gets the juices flowing when I’m into our England players. Everything is strict and they’re buying into to everything I’m saying – it’s a good feeling and I want a bit more.”

Wane enjoyed huge success as a head coach with hometown club Wigan before leaving in 2018 for a stint at the Scottish Rugby Union.

Yet Leeds also has a special place in his heart following a three-season stint at Headingley after being surprisingly shown the door by Wigan in 1990.

Wane remembered: “When I got told I had to leave Wigan I was shocked and I didn’t want to leave. But I absolutely loved it at Leeds. When I got here, the way this club looked after me and my missus was outstanding.

“My wife has such good memories of being here. I had David Ward as my coach and I met some really good people – I loved my time here. During the Test series against Tonga last year, playing at Huddersfield, the atmosphere wasn’t great.

“But when we came to Headingley it was a proper Test-match atmosphere and that’s what it’s going to be on Saturday.”

When asked if he had ever been close to coaching Leeds, Wane said Rhinos supremo Gary Hetherington had never asked him.

The England boss said with a smile: “Gary never ever rang me, despite all this availability! He never even rang me, even though we’re mates and I know him really well.”

Wane stressed that Leeds have a top coach in Brad Arthur but, when asked if ever fancied taking the reins at Headingley, he admitted: “Yes – it’s a big club and a big city with great support. But they’ve obviously got a fantastic coach here now, so they’re very sorted.”