Paul Anderson: New England men’s pathways boss sets sights on Rugby League World Cup glory | Rugby League News

“My job is simply to help England win a World Cup,” Anderson said after being appointed England men’s head of talent pathways; RFL women’s and girls’ national talent manager Stuart Barrow has been named in the same role for the women’s national set-up

Paul Anderson has taken on a new player pathway role

Paul Anderson has set his sights on helping England lift the Rugby League World Cup later this year after joining the RFL in a full-time role.

The 50-year-old former Super League player and head coach has left his role as Warrington Wolves’ academy head coach to become head of England talent pathways for the men’s team.

Anderson will retain his post as head coach of the England Knights team which he has held since 2018 as part of this new position, but is eager to play a part in helping Shaun Wane’s men bring the World Cup back to these shores for the first time in 50 years in this year’s delayed tournament too.

“My job is simply to help England win a World Cup,” Anderson said. “I genuinely believe this is something we can achieve in 2022.

“Beyond this, it will be achieved through a connected pathway from Academy to Knights then on to Shaun Wane and his senior team.

“I would like to thank Warrington Wolves and Peter Riding for giving me the opportunity to work with a lot of good people and to coach the next generation of Wire players over the last three years – this is something I have thoroughly enjoyed and will look back on with great memories.”

The appointment of Anderson, who played in Super League Grand Final-winning teams with both Bradford Bulls and St Helens and guided Huddersfield Giants to a historic League Leaders’ Shield success in 2013, on the men’s side is mirrored by a new women’s head of talent pathways.

My job is simply to help England win a World Cup. I genuinely believe this is something we can achieve in 2022.

Head of England men’s talent pathways Paul Anderson

Stuart Barrow, formerly the RFL’s women’s and girls’ national talent manager, takes on this new role which will see him being responsible for the strategy, management and implementation of player and coach development programme leading into the England Women’s team.

As well as their responsibilities in the England set-up, both Barrow and Anderson will be working closely with coaches in the Women’s Super League and club academies respectively.

“This role shows the significant growth in the Women’s and Girls’ game over the last few years and the need now to continue and develop the performance pathway from the National Diploma in Sporting Excellence programme, through our England Women Knights set-up and on to the senior squad as we prepare for future World Cups,” Barrow said.

“I am looking forward and excited to be supporting and working with coaches and players across the whole of the game.”