England v Australia rugby league Ashes: Kevin Walters to coach Kangaroos in autumn series

Kevin Walters says helium "can't hold to get started" aft being named Australia's caput manager for their autumn bid against England.

The erstwhile Brisbane Broncos caput coach, who led Queensland done 4 State of Origin series', has been fixed a three-match woody to pb the men's squad for the Ashes encounters.

Walters, 57, replaces Mal Meninga, who near successful June aft the announcement that helium would beryllium taking complaint of caller NRL nine Perth Bears.

The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has besides confirmed Jess Skinner volition proceed arsenic manager of the women's squad done to adjacent year's World Cup.

Australia's men look England astatine Wembley connected 25 October, Everton's caller Hill Dickinson Stadium connected 1 November and AMT Headingley connected 8 November, with each 3 matches to beryllium shown unrecorded successful the UK by the BBC. The Tests astatine Everton and Headingley are already sold out.

Walters said: "It is genuinely an honour and a privilege to beryllium capable to manager the Kangaroos connected specified a stage."

He was portion of the Kangaroos squad that toured Great Britain successful 1990 and 1994, though helium lone played successful Tests connected the second tour.

"Playing connected a Kangaroos circuit was ever a pinnacle arsenic a player, truthful to beryllium capable to pb the champion of the champion successful this situation is precise humbling and evidently precise exciting," added Walters, who had a abbreviated spell astatine Super League broadside Warrington successful 2001 and coached Catalans Dragons from 2009-10.

"This bid volition beryllium an important measurement for the maturation of planetary rugby league and for the Kangaroos. I can't hold to get started."

Meninga's determination to instrumentality up the relation with Perth Bears forced him to measurement down successful June arsenic ARLC rules forestall the nationalist squad caput manager from holding a nine occupation astatine the aforesaid time.

Former Australia skipper Brad Fittler, a three-time World Cup winner, had been favourite for the station until ruling himself retired of the running, citing his media commitments. Cameron Smith, different ex-Kangaroos captain, was besides a contender.

ARLC president Peter V'landys said: "Kevin has toured with the Kangaroos arsenic a player, was a person arsenic a subordinate and arsenic a coach. His coaching pedigree is simply a earthy acceptable for the nationalist team."