NO DECISION UNTIL AFTER AUSSIE FINAL

WAYNE BENNETT will tell England after Saturday’s World Cup final if he wants to stay in charge.

The veteran coach leads the national side into Saturday’s showdown with favourites Australia in his native Brisbane with his contract due to expire.

After taking over in early 2016 he has guided England to a first World Cup final in 22 years – but will be 71 by the time of the next tournament in 2021.

He admits he took the job because he wanted to be involved in the tournament in Australia and hasn’t allowed his mind to drift beyond this weekend.

He said: “I haven’t thought about it. We’ve a big game coming up on Saturday and that’s my only priority – I’ll worry about it afterwards.”

Asked why he took the England job, he responded: “Because I wanted to be in this World Cup, in Australia. “I wanted England to be more competitive – I wanted to be where we are today, I suppose.

“That’s what I thought, that it would add a great deal of interest if we could get England back to where they should be.”

Bennett – the most successful coach in Australian history – admits he has been taken aback by the professionalism of his squad.

He said: “They’re an outstanding group of men. They’re not hard to coach, it’s not hard to be part of their lives. Their behaviour on and off the field has surprised me in the sense that they’re so disciplined.

“I’ve not had one player late. I’ve not once had to talk to a player about his behaviour or about his lack of respect. They’re very close, very comfortable with each other, they look after each other and pull each other into line, which is the way it should be.”

Bennett – who rates captain Sean O’Loughlin (above) as 50-50 to overcome a quad complaint – maintains his side are underdogs against the holders.

He added: “We’re playing the best team. They’ve been unbeaten in two years and no one has got close to them except us in one game.”