England's World Cup Preparation Hit by Fixture Drought
England's rugby league team is set to face an unprecedented challenge ahead of the 2026 World Cup in Australia, with confirmation that the squad will not play a single international fixture for almost an entire year before the tournament begins. This development follows a thorough whitewash defeat in the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month, a result that has intensified scrutiny on the team's preparation and resources.
No Room in the Calendar for National Duty
The root of the problem lies in the congested Super League schedule for 2026. With the league expanding to 14 teams, the retention of the Magic Weekend, and the Grand Final being moved a week earlier to accommodate the World Cup, officials from RL Commercial have admitted there is simply no spare weekend to allocate for a mid-season international break. England's last match was the Ashes test defeat in October, and their next will be their World Cup opener against Tonga in Perth next October, marking a full year without a game.
This leaves national coach Shaun Wane, whose own position is currently under review, with severely limited options. Instead of valuable on-field time, Wane will be restricted to off-feet meetings with players at hotels, a method he has previously stated is insufficient for building a competitive international side. Following the Ashes loss, Wane was emphatic, insisting that "there needed to be more opportunities and priority given to the national team" if England is to close the gap on world champions Australia.
Executive Dismisses Concerns Over Readiness
Despite the glaring lack of match practice, RL Commercial’s chief executive, Rhodri Jones, has pushed back against suggestions that England will be underprepared. "I wouldn’t say they were," Jones commented. He argued that the intensity of the Super League competition itself should be enough to prepare players for the international stage.
Jones also addressed the possibility of organising a match against a nation like France, a fixture used in the past, but questioned the competitive value. "We’ve had games against France in the past and there was a lack of contest on the field," he said, indicating that such a game would only be considered if it offered a genuine challenge. This stance comes despite interest from other nations; Papua New Guinea coach Jason Demetriou had expressed a desire to see his Kumuls side face England as a meaningful warm-up for both teams.
The situation presents a significant hurdle for England rugby league. Entering a premier global tournament like the Rugby League World Cup without any recent test matches puts immense pressure on the players and coaching staff to perform, potentially hampering their ability to compete for the title from the outset.
