The vast majority of reaction to Wayne Bennett’s appointment as coach of England for the next two years has been positive. There have been some notable exceptions including the likes of Wally Lewis and new Australian coach Mal Meninga - who’ve both played under Bennett - who’ve questioned the mastercoach’s loyalty.

There’s no doubt he’s taken the snub personally but Bennett is right to point out the gross flaws in a selection criteria that effectively rules out 16 of the best candidates before the process is even underway.

The new rules that barring club coaches from also holding the national coaching role means only coaches who’ve been dumped from NRL jobs, presumably for poor performance, are in a position to hold the most prestigious coaching position in the game.

Bennett’s decision to coach England from the other side of the world around his commitments with the Broncos also shows that, unlike State of Origin, coaching the national side is not truly a full-time job. 

It’s not a knock on the International game, which remains the peak representative honour any player can attain, but realistic look at the demands of the coaching role.

Meninga’s predecessor Tim Sheens and current Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney only became ‘full-time’ national coaches after being sacked from club roles they had held simultaneously. It’s not to downplay either’s success as Test level but merely to point out that it didn’t come as a result of being unburdened by club duties.

State of Origin is only three games per year but it completely dominates the schedule for three months in the middle of the NRL season and pours money into the game’s coffers in a way International football doesn’t.

The time and pressure demands mean club coaches simply can’t have their focus split between two teams without one or both suffering. 

Australia and New Zealand play just one game in-season, England none, with all their other matches coming after the conclusion of the NRL and Super League seasons.

Grant and the ARLC will no doubt be padding Meninga’s schedule with any number of coaching clinics, corporate appearances and ambassadorial roles to keep him busy and justify the reported $300,000 salary it took to lure him away from the Queenslad job but it’s not money well spent.

Bennett, the game’s best ever coach, would’ve have filled the same role for a fraction of the price.

While he was clearly upset at being passed over for the Kangaroos role, suggestions that Bennett accepted the England post purely out of revenge are well off the mark. You don’t sustain a career as long and successful as Bennett’s on sour grapes.

Unlike most of his critics, Bennett has played in the green and gold jumper and doesn’t need or deserve to be lectured on what that means. His desire to coach England has nothing to do with a disregard for Australia but about boosting the International game he’s long championed. 

But he is human and if England can upset Australia at the World Cup next year, there’ll be an extra glint in that famous crooked smile.