England boss Shaun Wane provides insight into demanding standards ahead of Combined Nations All Stars test

Wane has had to be patient since taking over as head coach at the start of 2020, with his reign so far amounting to two games.

He will get another chance to assess World Cup hopefuls in England colours when his side take on the All Stars at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Ahead of England's penultimate fixture before the tournament on home soil later this year, the players have been told to treat it as the biggest game of their lives.

"When I see something good or bad, I talk to the players about whether it was a World Cup final action, play, error - whatever it is," he said.

"That's our terminology. I know it's a tough school and the players are always under pressure - but we need to do something in this competition and our standards need to be very, very high."

The All Stars will largely be made up of some of the best overseas players in Super League, complemented by two men who missed out on Wane's squad in hookers Kruise Leeming and Daryl Clark.

It is a repeat of last year when Leeming, Jake Connor and Jermaine McGillvary helped the All Stars inflict a 26-24 defeat on England in Wane's first game in charge.

Wane is happy to supply the All Stars with more players for the latest meeting in Warrington - but he is determined to redress the balance.

"What's going to help us in the World Cup is having a really, really intense game," said the England boss.

"If there are certain players I'm not picking, I want them to play for the All Stars to make it a really competitive game and get as close to a Test match as we can.

"Last year was a good hit-out. I played it down after the game about losing but it still destroyed me losing that game. I want to put it right and win this game.

"I want a real intense contest. Having some of our players that aren't going to make our 13 play for them is going to make it a really good contest."

Both teams once again had to contend with a spate of withdrawals leading into the mid-season international.

Wane was left without injured St Helens trio Morgan Knowles, Jonny Lomax and Mark Percival among others, with the likes of Jai Field, Tui Lolohea and Mitchell Pearce unavailable to All Stars head coach Ellery Hanley.

England are also unable to call on their NRL contingent but there are no excuses as far as Wane is concerned.

The 57-year-old is embracing the challenge as he looks to increase his World Cup options.

"It's disruptive but I've got a really strong squad of players who I'm very confident about," said Wane.

"Regarding Morgan and Jonny, they possibly would have played anyway - but it's a good chance for somebody else.

"I don't dwell on things, it happens. It hasn't given us much time but that also makes it exciting for me and my staff.

“I like to plan for things going wrong. We could lose loads of players in the run-up to the World Cup and have a disaster with injuries, so we need to be organised.

“We need our strongest 17, and the 17 behind that, and the 17 behind that, so those players need to be ready.

“That’s the idea of these games because everyone needs that level of competition.”

England will come up against a whole host of players they could face at the World Cup, while the All Stars team also boasts several former internationals.

Wane, who played alongside Hanley at Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos, has warned his side they will need to be at their best.

“I’m expecting a team that’s very competitive,” he added.

“Their desire to win will be very high, so we need to be on it and be very passionate ourselves.

“Me and Ellery do think very similarly about winning, so that will lend itself to be a very intense game.

“I’ve played with some great players but Ellery is the best. He was very competitive and his desire to win was through the roof.

“He was a really impressive bloke. He was head and shoulders above.

“It was a great move by us to get him to be coach of the All Stars.”