Brian McDermott has appointed Sean O’Loughlin and Paul Wellens as assistant coaches for England’s rugby league team ahead of this year’s World Cup in Australia. McDermott, who took over from Shaun Wane in April on a short-term contract to lead the squad through the tournament, confirmed the involvement of the two prominent former players.

O’Loughlin, a former England captain, earned 25 caps representing the national team and appeared 11 times for Great Britain during his playing career. Wellens, a revered figure at St Helens, captained his club and made 31 appearances for England.

McDermott highlighted the wealth of experience both bring to the coaching setup, describing them as among the best players produced by the country. He added that working closely with O’Loughlin and Wellens over recent months has been a valuable learning opportunity ahead of the World Cup campaign.