2 hours ago
2
England's new head coach Brian McDermott has offered Man of Steel Jake Connor a path back into the national squad for this autumn's Rugby League World Cup.
McDermott, confirmed in the role on Thursday, has described the Leeds Rhinos half-back as a "game-breaker".
Connor, 31, was controversially left out of Shaun Wane's squad for last autumn's Ashes home series against Australia, which England lost 3-0.
At the time, Wane said the decision to omit Connor was "not really difficult" and that he had made it based on the player's form, adding that: "When picking a squad, the thing you will never hear from me is: 'He's won the Man of Steel.' I don't pay attention to stuff like that."
Wane stepped down in January, with former Leeds head coach McDermott taking over until the end of the World Cup, to be staged in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea this October and November.
McDermott played down questions over Connor's temperament and said the half-back is part of England's World Cup plans, saying: "Yeah, he is for sure. Absolutely.
"I think the rhetoric and the narrative around Jake was tremendously unfair.
"I understand where Jake Connor comes from in that he's liked by some and disliked by others. OK, that comes in the nature of the game.
"We could sit around a table and debate whether he's a nice person or not.
"I just don't think that's a fair narrative to be made public and that was the rhetoric around him.
"What nobody can argue is that he's a tremendous player. He's a fantastic player. He's a game-breaker."
McDermott won four Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups, the World Club Challenge and the League Leaders' Shield in eight years as Leeds head coach.
The 56-year-old, currently working as an assistant coach at NRL club Gold Coast Titans, has taken the England role on a part-time basis, in contrast to his full-time predecessor Wane.
"I would be interested in taking the job beyond the World Cup," McDermott said.
The Yorkshireman was selected by the Rugby Football League from a five-man shortlist, which also included current Leeds head coach Brad Arthur, Warrington's Sam Burgess, St Helens' Paul Rowley and former England head coach Steve McNamara.
England's World Cup campaign in Australia begins against Tonga in Perth on 17 October, with games against France and Papua New Guinea to follow.
