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Aussie rugby league great Aaron Woods has lit the touch paper ahead of Australia’s first rugby league Ashes Test match at Wembley on Saturday, by delivering a damning assessment of England’s current squad, while also dishing up a brutal swipe at the hosts’ coach, Shaun Wane.
Wane has raised some eyebrows in the build-up to next weekend’s crunch match, opting not to select this year’s Super League Man of Steel, Jake Connor, for the squad.
The 31-year-old has not played international rugby league since 2019, and while he has enjoyed an excellent season, scoring seven tries for Leeds, George Williams, Harry Smith and Mikey Lewis have all been drafted in ahead of him.
‘It was not really difficult (to leave Connor out),’ Wane said. He's a very, very good player, Jake, no doubt about that. I spoke to him in this week and he's going to be available for the World Cup next year.
‘When I'm picking a squad, the thing you will never hear from me is: “He's won the Man of Steel, he needs to be in”.’
‘I just watch the players play and think who can do a fantastic job against Australia. It is more about form than anything else,’ he said.
Former NRL player Aaron Woods (pictured) has delivered a scathing verdict of how England will fare against Australia in the upcoming Rugby League Ashes Series
Woods shot a dig at England boss Shaun Wane (pictured), appearing to claim that the coach's speech attempting to rouse his players to victory sent him to sleep
Included in Wane’s 24-player squad is Hull KR winger Joe Burgess, who rejoins the side for the first time since 2015. Meanwhile, Gold Coast Titans star, and Queensland-born fullback, Alexander Brimson, will declare England his national side, after being called up by Wane.
However, Woods, who won 17 caps for the Kangaroos between 2014 and 2018, has bluntly refused any notion that England can beat Australia.
Asked if he has any concerns that the hosts could surprise the tourists, the former New South Wales prop said to Triple M’s NRL Daily: ‘Worries? Not one single bit.
He then delved into his reasoning: ‘Watching that game, it’s attack-oriented. They [England] move the ball really quickly but defensively, they’re going to really struggle against Australia, just the way in which we tackle. The Penrith system, they tackle up. So when you put your kick chase in behind, a lot of English sides they like the contact, they want to put a massive shot on.
‘A lot of the time you can bounce, spin and find your front and that generates a quick play-the-ball, which starts your set off easy.
‘These blokes, like your [Isaah] Yeos, what they’ve done so well is that they hit together. And then instead of letting you find your front, they tackle and lift you up and they drive you back five-ten metres and it ruins your set straight away. I don’t know how England are going to handle the defensive intensity of Australia.’
The subject quickly moved onto England coach Wane and England’s record in the series, with the Three Lions having not won a series since 1970.
The last time the sides met over a three-match Test series was back in 2003, where Australia pummelled the hosts, Great Britain, 3-0 in England.
Wane has raised some eyebrows after he opted not to pick Leeds Rhinos star Jake Connor - the Man of Steel for 2025
Woods (with his wife Sarah) has immediately written England off, claiming the hosts are going to get battered defensively by Australia
Wane was recently pictured delivering a rousing speech to his team, in which he attempted to galvanise his team to victory, noting how long it’s been since his side claimed victory.
‘This is a chance and an opportunity that you can’t miss,’ Wane said to his squad. ‘The idea of today’s meeting is to make it absolutely crystal clear to you what you need to do to make sure that you’re in.
‘Can you imagine what it feels like to win the Ashes? It’s massive. It might never happen again in your playing career.’
In response to hearing the clip, Woods shot a brutal dig at Wane, appearing to claim his motivational talk was boring.
‘Can you wake me up?’ Woods replied bluntly on Triple M.
‘Are you kidding? You wonder why they haven’t won an Ashes in that long...’
Woods added: ‘You might as well get James Graham to pump them up.
‘He [Graham] probably wouldn’t shut up in that meeting... he’d think it was all about himself...
Wane has also opted to pick Queensland-born fullback AJ Brimson who qualifies to play for England through his mother's family
Adam Peacock didn’t agree with Woods’ comments, stating: ‘I didn’t mind it.’
But Woods was left staggered: ‘You’re kidding, aren’t ya?’
Woods then took a dig at Queensland-born fullback, Brimson, who has been selected to play for England during the series, qualifying to play for the hosts through the maternal side of his family.
‘They’re getting blokes like Brimson, who can’t make a Queensland squad or Australian team to go over and play for them,’ Woods added, speaking on the Gold Coast Titans outside back.
‘You of all people, Aaron Woods, given your history at Origin time of late, writing teams off saying they cannot win because of dot, dot, dot... I’m wary,’ Peacock said.
Woods was then pressed on whether Tonga, Samoa or New Zealand have a better chance of beating Australia than England.
‘I think Tonga, New Zealand and Samoa have a better chance of beating Australia than England,’ Woods said. ‘I love what Tonga and Samoa, the sides, and players and Payne Haas, Stefano Utoikamanu, that have pledged to play for those. You know, Jeremiah Nanai, he probably could have played for the Australia squad back in the day. He’s outstanding.
‘You look at both the rosters [between England and Australia], it’s phenomenal, and to be honest I’m probably more interested in watching the Pacific Championships.
‘There’s a game, Tonga vs Samoa at Suncorp Stadium, I wish I could go to that, I think it’s almost sold out...
‘I think it’s an each-way bet with those three sides, I don’t know who is going to be in the final. Because they’re three strong outfits. I would have been a little more confident in New Zealand if Jahrome Hughes wasn’t getting off-season surgery.’
