McRae in driving seat for Britain job

Shaun McRae has emerged as favourite to become Great Britain's second Australian coach in four years after the Rugby Football League confirmed they are to make the post full-time.

The 47-year-old, who coached St Helens to the league and cup double in 1996, heads the list of candidates being lined up to succeed Brian Noble, whose three-year contract expired on December 31.

Noble, who was assistant for three years to Australian David Waite before succeeding him in 2004, has effectively ruled himself out of the reckoning because he intends to concentrate on his contract with Wigan which runs to the end of 2008.

Waite was Britain's last full-time coach, combining the role with that of performance director from 2000-05.

RFL executive chairman Richard Lewis said: "Following our thorough review, we believe the Great Britain position requires a coach's full-time focus. The person in question must work from the heart of the RFL to give direct input into our leading players and their club coaches.

"We believe only a full-time coach will have the proper opportunity to positively influence plans for the Rugby League World Cup in 2008, the Tri-Nations in 2009 and further into the future."

McRae is instantly available, having recently stepped down from his role as director of rugby at South Sydney to pursue more opportunities in coaching and media work.

He was the only man to hold the position of head coach throughout the first nine seasons of Super League - he was in charge of Gateshead and Hull after leaving St Helens in 1998 - and also has coaching experience at international level.

Under Noble, Britain won six of their 14 Tests and collected the wooden spoon from last year's Tri-Nations Series for the second successive year. Noble's assistants Jon Sharp, the Huddersfield head coach, and Dave Lyon, the former St Helens full-back, are also out of contract with the RFL.

"We would like to thank Brian Noble for his tremendously valuable contribution to the Great Britain side over the past six years," added Lewis. "He has played a major role in the successes experienced by the Lions in that time and his personal passion for the job has always been an outstanding feature of his tenure."