Michael Maguire rules out England coaching job in quest to build Broncos dynasty

Maguire was linked with the British Test post during the week in the wake of the Poms’ disastrous 3-0 series loss to Australia, which has intensified pressure on England head coach Shaun Wane.

England’s Rugby Football League hierarchy are conducting a review of the clean-sweep loss in the first Ashes series in 22 years and there is no guarantee Wane will survive for the 2026 World Cup.

But the one certainty is Maguire won’t be coaching England, with the 51-year-old committed to constructing a Broncos dynasty after breaking Brisbane’s 19-year premiership drought last month.

As revealed by this masthead, Maguire is currently in England. It fuelled speculation ‘Madge’ could be headhunted by the RFL, but the reality is Maguire has embarked on a personal-development tour, attending a Sports Performance Summit to improve his coaching skill set next season.

Maguire is contracted to the Broncos on a three-year deal until the end of 2027 and scuppered talk of rescuing England as he chases more silverware at Red Hill next season.

“No chance,” said Maguire when asked if he is open to helping the Old Enemy.

“We have a big season ahead - that’s my focus.

“You have to keep your head down and keep working and that is part of what I love doing with my players.

“The growth I saw this year with our group has been excellent and the other 16 teams will be hungry to knock us off next season.

“I’m hungry to get better myself - that’s what this competition demands.”

Maguire is a proven performer in the representative arena. The Broncos mentor has experience coaching an international team - he spent five years with New Zealand from 2018-23, winning 12 of 18 games and steering the Kiwis to the Pacific Championships trophy with a 30-0 flogging of Australia in the 2023 final.

The following year, Maguire coached the NSW Origin to title supremacy over Queensland before quitting the Blues to take charge of the Broncos.

The veteran coach is familiar with rugby league in the northern hemisphere, starting his head-coaching career with Wigan in 2010-11 before leaving the English giants to start his NRL journey at South Sydney.

Maguire won his maiden premiership at the Rabbitohs in 2014 and admits there was a touch of relief at breaking through for a second coaching title at Brisbane after his tumultuous tenure at the Wests Tigers.

Maguire become just the sixth coach in NRL history to win a premiership with two clubs, but Kevin Walters’ Broncos successor says he won’t be complacent in 2026.

“It was a fair while between premierships for me, too,” said Maguire, who returned to the NRL furnace at Brisbane after being sacked by the Tigers in 2022.

“We are chasing more moments next season.

“I don’t look back.

“It was great to achieve what we did this year, but I have more I want to ahcieve with this group.

“Really, they are at their infancy of where we are trying to get to.

“We need progression and to do that, you have to stay hungry, hence the reason why I am running around overseas to find new ideas for the players to keep growing.”

Maguire will be forced to make some tactical adjustments entering his second season at Red Hill.

The Broncos have lost two players, Kobe Hetherington and Tyson Smoothy, from their grand-final winning team, while backline star Selwyn Cobbo will join arch-rivals the Dolphins next season.

Maguire knows depth is critical. He has added Cowboys rookie Tom Duffy, 22, to his playmaking stocks, with Dolphins hitman Aublix Tawha, 26, is a late-blooming forward eyeing a bench spot to support Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan.

“We are welcoming in Tom Duffy and Aublix and a few players will come in and get an opportunity,” he said.

“We’ll see if we can find another ‘Gem’,” added Maguire, referring to Gehamat Shibasaki, who joined the club last summer on a development deal and finished 2025 as a premiership winner playing for Australia in the Ashes.

“They are out there. We found Ben Talty (mid-season recruit from Norths) as well and we’re on the hunt to find more guys.”

Maguire will complete the signing of Storm legend Cameron Smith when he returns to Australia and said the future NRL Immortal will be a brilliant mentor to Broncos players.

“He will be across various parts of the club,” he said.

“To be honest, Cam’s position with us will evolve.

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“It might be something as simple as Cam coming over and having lunch with one of the boys.

“I want him to feel what the players have created.

“It’s a great club but to stay great, we have to keep working hard and look after that environment.”

Originally published as Michael Maguire rules out England coaching job in quest to build Broncos dynasty