England v Australia: Wayne Bennett hits back over '˜cheap talk' criticism

In an unusually loquacious manner, England head coach Wayne Bennett has defended himself against critics who argue the Australian should be doing more to promote rugby league in this country.
England's head coach Wayne Bennett.England's head coach Wayne Bennett.
England's head coach Wayne Bennett.

The 66-year-old, long renowned for his dislike of media duties, came under criticism for an abrupt live interview on the BBC following Saturday’s Four Nations win over Scotland.

Former Great Britain international Iestyn Harris labelled his curt answers as “disrespectful” and “nothing short of a disgrace” arguing he should be trying to promote the sport not acting in such a taciturn manner.

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Jon Wells, the former Castleford Tigers winger who was summarising on radio, was similarly scathing of the reaction from a coach regarded as the best rugby league has ever seen.

England's Luke Gale during a training session at Eltham College, London.England's Luke Gale during a training session at Eltham College, London.
England's Luke Gale during a training session at Eltham College, London.

However, as success-starved England prepare to take on Australia in Sunday’s must-win encounter at London Stadium, Bennett gave his own opinion in a press conference at Canary Wharf.

Asked how much the role – which he took on in February – is about promoting rugby league as well as coaching the side, the Brisbane Broncos chief said: “I’ll tell you about promoting rugby league.

“You can talk to any marketing department and they don’t want you to be goofing off and talking it up when your team’s getting beat every week. Because they won’t sell it to you.

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“The end result for what we all do is about how the team is performing on the football field. I’m a football coach, that’s what I am.

England's Luke Gale during a training session at Eltham College, London.England's Luke Gale during a training session at Eltham College, London.
England's Luke Gale during a training session at Eltham College, London.

“My job is to get the best out of those players and give you the best entertainment they possibly can.

“When that’s in place, what you say away from the game is really immaterial.

“That’s been my philosophy all my coaching life. My players and my teams are my priority and always will be.

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“I’m not interested in cheap talk and I’m not interested in thinking I can promote the game by something I say.

“I know that the teams that I coach play well and everyone enjoys the way they play, then you won’t have a shortage of fans and people interested in what you’re doing.”

Bennett, whose side must beat the Kangaroos for the first time since 1995 to have any chance of reaching the final, added he is “immune” to criticism.

“To be candid with you again, I just don’t read anything you write any more,” he replied, as questions continued.

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“I haven’t read it for over a decade now; I don’t watch television shows and as soon as rugby league comes on I turned off.

“I’m immune to anything you say out there. It just doesn’t impress me.”

The point was made that, in the modern era, press conferences seem to get as much coverage as the matches themselves.

“It’s a funny thing you say that,” responded Bennett, who has won a record seven Grand Finals in Australia and enjoyed success with Queensland’s State of Origin side as well as assisting new Zealand in their famous 2008 World Cup victory over the Kangaroos.

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“I started coaching in 1977 and they were bagging me then, and nothing’s changed in 2016.

“There’s been a lot of water under the bridge for me, and I am what I am. I don’t compromise myself or what I feel at that particular stage in time. It’s okay.”

Bennett continued: “If I had a choice I wouldn’t do it (media).

“It’s not what I want to do – I want to coach, that’s what my priority is and what it will always be.

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“Talk is cheap. I see lots of guys doing interviews and they’re just wasting your time and space.

“They don’t make any sense and they’re just playing the game. I can’t play the game unfortunately.”

Some of the contempt for Bennett’s comments stem from the fact he is actually a long-time advocate of the international game.

Having seen Great Britain vanquished 64-10 during a record-breaking defeat against Australia in 2002, he played a significant role in restoring the Tri-Nations two years later, winning it as Kangaroos coach.

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On the international game’s progress, he added: “I think we’ve come a long way since then and there’s some wonderful things happening out there.

“We’ve seen Samoa emerge, Fiji starting to emerge, Tonga’s getting up there as well and that wasn’t happening in 2002.

“There’s a lot of other countries now playing as well, which is a long-term progress of course.

“But the international game is in a much better state.”

The state of England’s game, however, will depend largely on what happens Sunday afternoon.

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