Rugby Football League CEO Abi Ekoku has insisted there is ‘no urgency’ on a decision over Shaun Wane’s future as England head coach – and has defended the lack of mid-season plans going into next year’s World Cup.

There is still no clarity over whether or not Wane will be the man to lead the national team Down Under next year, after presiding over this autumn’s series whitewash against Australia.

Ekoku was asked by Love Rugby League on whether or not a decision was close, with the interim CEO of the governing body appearing to suggest there will be nothing imminent as an internal review of the series and the England programme continues.

“It would be disrespectful to everybody involved in that process not to get their feedback, that comes from Shaun as well as he is an RFL employee,” Ekoku said.

“Once that’s all in, that decision will be made. There’ll be no prevarication over it. It’s international sport.

“It means you judge at the highest levels and there shouldn’t be any hesitation. There’s a World Cup next year, so you want certainty as to decision making, so planning can be done.”

Ekoku then insisted there was no need to rush a decision, adding: “But again, there’s no urgency. The Kangaroos didn’t have a coach until how long before this series? The England football manager’s job is almost part-time theoretically so you can look at things in different ways.”

Ekoku also insisted he understood why there was no room being created in the Super League calendar to allow England any games or training camps throughout 2026.

Incredibly, the next time England take to the field will be in the opening game of next autumn’s World Cup – but Ekoku stressed that with NRL clubs unlikely to release players to feature in a mid-season match, he saw little point in creating a designated window.

When asked why England weren’t playing mid-season, he said: “Let me ask the question back in a different way. Can England have a meaningful mid-season international if you’re not getting a release of NRL players?

“International sport is a rough, tough environment. What you can offer at the centre as a governing body to players coming from the top clubs is always less than they get at a club.

“Shaun is a fantastic coach and he’s been a very successful Super League coach, but what can he impart in the middle of a season?”