St Helens appoint Australia's Kevin Walters as head coach on three-year deal

The appointment

St Helens announced on Thursday that Kevin Walters, the current Australia head coach, will take charge of the Super League club from the start of the 2027 season on a three-year deal, tying him to the club through the end of 2029. The 58-year-old will leave the Kangaroos role after the upcoming Rugby League World Cup, with Australia's tournament opening against New Zealand scheduled for October 15.

Walters' pedigree and rationale

Walters guided Australia to a 3-0 Ashes series whitewash over England last autumn and was previously in charge of Brisbane Broncos, whom he led to the 2023 NRL Grand Final before his controversial axing at the end of 2024. He has also coached Queensland in State of Origin and had a prior Super League stint with Catalans Dragons in 2009 and 2010. As a player he won six NRL Premierships, made 20 State of Origin appearances and earned 11 Kangaroos caps, including the 1992 World Cup-winning squad.

What St Helens said

Chairman Eamonn McManus framed the move as a landmark commitment, calling Walters' experience "self-evident" and citing the "major career sacrifices" the coach was making in Australia. McManus also thanked Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'Landys for facilitating the transition. Walters said Saints were "one of the most iconic and successful brands in rugby league" and pointed to last year's Ashes tour as evidence of Super League's quality.

Current state at the Saints

St Helens sit seventh in Super League, with injuries contributing to a difficult 2026 and the prospect of missing the play-offs for the first time in club history. Eamon O'Carroll remains interim head coach until season's end after Paul Rowley departed in July, 17 games into his tenure, with three matches remaining in the regular season. Australian reports indicate the deal is the largest coaching contract in St Helens' 153-year history.

Wider ripple effects

The departure creates a second Australia coaching vacancy, with the ARL Commission having only extended Walters earlier this year after Mal Meninga moved to Perth. Walters had ruled himself out of the Queensland State of Origin role earlier this week, leaving both the Maroons and Kangaroos positions open heading into the World Cup.