England 24-26 Combined All Stars - Shaun Wane loses first game

Wigan's Liam Farrell scored twice for England

Shaun Wane said his players need "to be a bit smarter" as his tenure as England boss began in disappointment with a 26-24 defeat by the Combined All Stars.

Appointed in February 2020, Wane finally took charge for the first time.

But Ken Sio and Peter Mata'utia crossed for the All Stars - in between Liam Farrell's double - for a 14-12 lead.

Jermaine McGillvary and Sio's second extended the lead and, although debutants Morgan Knowles and Tom Davies responded, it was not enough.

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"I thought they played well," Wane said. "There's no excuses. We could have won that game, no question. We just needed to be a bit smarter. But I'm proud of the team."

Three-time Super League winner Wane replaced Australian Wayne Bennett and was supposed to oversee an Ashes Test series against Australia last autumn, but it was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It meant he has had to wait 16 months to lead out England, as the national team competed in an international fixture for the first time since 2018, but a thrilling contest ended in defeat.

The preparations for Wane's maiden fixture have been less than ideal, with players missing due to Super League games taking place this weekend, playing in the NRL, as well as outbreaks of Covid-19 at several clubs.

Captain Sam Tomkins showed few signs of fatigue with a solid showing after a marathon 16-hour drive from the south of France to avoid quarantine, while Catalans Dragons team-mate Davies, who arrived in a separate car, scored on his debut.

Wigan forward Farrell impressed with two tries, including a superb solo run, but it was two Huddersfield men who made the difference for the All Stars in front of 4,000 spectators in Warrington.

Winger McGillvary, who featured for England in the 2017 World Cup final loss against Australia, managed to burrow over in the corner to remain under consideration for this year's tournament and Huddersfield's Aidan Sezer's 10 points with the boot proved crucial.

"I am the worst loser in the world but I thought we showed a lot of toughness, especially with the adversity of losing those players," said Wane.

"If we had been smarter at the right places on the field, we would have won the game.

"I'm just a bit gutted for players that they didn't get anything out of it.

"The All Stars were a big, athletic team. I knew we would be up against it."

England's final warm-up match is against Fiji at Rochdale on 15 October and the hosts begin their World Cup campaign against Samoa in Newcastle a week later.

However, a decision on whether the World Cup will still take place in England this year or be postponed until 2022 will be made next week.

'Decision-making costs England'

Former England international Jon Wilkin on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

"England got their decision-making wrong and that cost them two tries. It was fiercely contested and the All Stars had some strong ball carriers.

"England looked small and were unable to match the All Stars physically but that will be very different when their missing players come back into the team.

"But Shaun Wane will be disappointed and will have some real focus points for the team.

"The match fell in and out in terms of quality and execution. The All Stars looked really sharp with the ball but England didn't really get going, but still it was a fantastic exercise to get a run-out together."

Watch live coverage of Saturday's England v Wales wheelchair international on the BBC Red Button, BBC Sport website and app from 12:20 BST

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