New St Helens head coach Kristian Woolf is hoping Tonga’s success will rub off onto the English Super League champions.
Speaking at his first press conference since succeeding fellow Australian Justin Holbrook, Woolf says the Saints players will be encouraged to play attacking rugby, just as the Pacific Islanders have done to great effect.
Woolf has taken Tonga from 14th in the world rankings on his appointment in 2014 to fourth and they are now breathing down the necks of England following their recent wins over Great Britain and the Kangaroos.
“Players will be given free rein to express themselves,” the former Newcastle Knights interim coach said.
“I’m very aware of the history of the club and that the history is an attacking style of rugby league.
“That’s exactly what we’ll continue to do. I think the best example I can give you is the way we’ve gone about things with Tonga.
“That is what worked really well for us against Great Britain and it worked really well against Australia.”
The 44-year-old, who has taken up a two-year contract, plans to continue as Tonga mentor but insists it will not interfere with his Saints job.
“I’ve had numerous conversations with the club about that,” he said.
“There’s an expectation here that we perform at a certain level and any involvement with Tonga can’t interfere with that.”
Woolf, who also has worked as an assistant at North Queensland Cowboys and Brisbane Broncos, does not believe Great Britain’s dismal tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea is a reflection of the playing standards of Super League, insisting it compares well with the NRL.
“I don’t think Great Britain not performing has anything to do with the competition here in terms of the standard,” he said.
“I certainly don’t think a standard of the competition should be judged on one series. I’ve obviously watched a lot of Super League and I think it’s a very good standard.
“It’s a little bit different but I think the standards are very similar, in particular when the top teams are going at each other.”
Saints will have a chance to pit themselves against the NRL’s finest when they play Sydney Roosters in the World Club Challenge at home on February 22.
“The Roosters have been the benchmark in the NRL for the last couple of years so it’s a terrific opportunity to show where we do sit on the world scale,” Woolf said.
Saints will begin their domestic title defence against Grand Final runners-up Salford on January 31 and could also play their first trial match against the Red Devils in a ground-breaking double-header in Valencia, Spain, on January 11.
