Another Aussie set to link with Old enemy

Just days after it was revealed Shane Warne might be a contender for a coaching role with the English cricket team, the deposed coach of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Shaun McRae, is apparently the favourite to take over as head coach of the English rugby league team.

Readers who followed the ordinary season the Russell Crowe/Peter Holmes a Court-owned Rabbitohs had in 2006 might be wondering just how desperate English sport has become.

In 2006 the Rabbitohs finished stone motherless last in the NRL premiership - 3 wins 24 losses! As a result, McRae was replaced as coach by the successful stand-in coach of the Parramatta Eels, Jason Taylor.

But an appointment to coach the England national team is not as odd as those results might make it appear.

McRae coached with considerable success in England before returning to the Rabbitohs. He coached St Helens to the league and cup double in 1996. He survived as head coach for the first nine seasons of UK super league, coaching at Gateshead and Hull after St Helens.

The attraction McRae offers English rugby league is that he is available immediately - he has no NRL or other coaching role in 2007 - and he can fulfil their intention to appoint a full-time coach.

If he is appointed, he won