Friday 19 February 2016 16:46, UK
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Wayne Bennett said there is "no greater competition" than England against Australia.
Sky Sports' Eddie Hemmings sat down with the new England coach to discuss his role and ambitions for the national side.
Bennett is in the country on club duty with the Brisbane Broncos, but Hemmings pressed him on his international intentions, asking Bennett if the time had arrived for England fans to 'dream' that a new era had arrived.
"I'm not going to buy into your dreams," said Bennett, "I'm at the cutting edge of it all, and the reality is it's going to be a tough gig and it's going to be a tough challenge, but I'm up for that.
"I know what's in front of me, that's the part I'm not fearing, I don't have any fear in that regard.
"My only fear is that in some way I don't connect with the players - but I don't see any reason why that's not going to happen - because I can't do it without the players. Players make successful coaches, it's not the reverse."
The Broncos mentor says it was England's rivalry with Australia that inspired his love of the game.
"There's no greater competition in Australia than England versus Australia, in all of our sports. The high profile sports in particular; cricket and rugby league, and I was brought up on that.
"When I was a little boy growing up, it was all about the great English players and how hard they were to beat and all that type of stuff.
"And you lost your way for 20 years, it was a great tragedy, but I believe it's starting to come back and I believe there's a movement now to take it back to that place.
"But that's what made me love the game as much as I do. My uncle toured in 1948/49 with the Kangaroos here, and I read all his scrapbooks and it inspired me as a young boy growing up to be one of those people."
Watch the full video of Wayne Bennett's interview with Eddie Hemmings On Demand
