Coaches concerns about Ashes being put up for grabs; RUGBY LEAGUE.

Byline: IAN LAYBOURN

PAST and present national coaches have come out against the proposal by the Rugby Football League to put the Ashes at stake in the end-of-season Gillette Four Nations series.

Great Britain have not won the Ashes since 1970 and, with the demise of tours between the two hemispheres, are unlikely to get the chance to take on Australia in a three-match series in the foreseeable future.

Instead RFL chairman Richard Lewis wants the Ashes trophy, currently resident in the National Museum in Canberra, to be put up for grabs when England meet Australia at Wigan on October 31 in the second round of matches in the expanded tri-nations tour nament.

The proposal has the support of England captain Jamie Peacock and Australian officials are thought to have warmed to the idea following talks overnight with their British counterparts.

But Australia captain Darren Lockyer has expressed his reservations and both for mer Great Britain coach Brian Noble and his successor Tony Smith expressed their opposition to the plan.

"I'm not a fan of that," said Noble. "I think it devalues the challenge.

"We've shown over the last 25 years that we can beat Australia in a one-off game - Ie coached a team that beat them at Sydney Football Stadium, their own ground, and there is no finer feeling.

"But I think the challenge of the Ashes is to beat them in a three-match rubber. I genuinely feel that."

Smith, who succeeded Noble in 2007, has similar reservations.

"I'm not sure," he said. "I would prefer to see it as a stand-alone contest rather than part of another tour nament.

"I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it but my first reaction is that I'd rather see the best of three against the Australians.

"I think it takes away from the tournament that you're playing."