Ex-Hull KR and Australia coach Tim Sheens lands Combined Nations All Stars job

LEGENDARY Australian coach Tim Sheens will renew his battles with England after being appointed head coach of the Combined Nations All Stars team.
Tim Sheens after winning the 2013 World Cup with Australia (VAUGHAN RIDLEY/SWPIX)Tim Sheens after winning the 2013 World Cup with Australia (VAUGHAN RIDLEY/SWPIX)
Tim Sheens after winning the 2013 World Cup with Australia (VAUGHAN RIDLEY/SWPIX)

Ex-Hull KR chief Sheens, 70, led the Kangaroos to the 2013 World Cup during his six year stint in charge which also included two Four Nations final wins over England

Having won Premierships with Canberra Raiders and Wests Tigers as well as coaching the New South Wales State of Origin side, he remains one of the most successful and longest-serving coaches in the sport.

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Sheens has been in the UK since 2015, first with Salford Red Devils, then with the Robins from 2017 to 2019 before taking over at Widnes Vikings where he unexpectedly resigned in October.

The Combined Nations All Stars team - which replaces the Exiles last seen in 2013 - will face England at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday June 25.

“As soon as I heard about the plans for this fixture, I thought it was an interesting coaching prospect,” said Sheens, who will be supported by Warrington assitant coach and former Castleford Tigers and Sheffield Eagles hooker Andrew Henderson.

“The Exiles games that were played a decade or so ago showed the amount of overseas talent in the Super League, and by rebranding as Combined Nations All Stars it’s expanded the players available from other countries who will be involved in the World Cup.

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“We’ll have about 10 rounds of the Super League season for players to put themselves forward through their performances – and although we know one of the main aims of the fixture is to help Shaun Wane and his England team by providing an intense quality match as part of their World Cup preparations, I’m pretty confident that when we get the group together, we’ll also be determined to beat them.

“I’m looking forward to working with Andrew Henderson as my assistant coach. As well as his background with the Scotland team who he was always so passionate about representing, Andrew will have the inside track on Super League with his role at Warrington.”

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