McRae coached in the first nine seasons of Super League

Wigan coach Brian Noble's three-year part-time contract expired at the end of last year and the Rugby Football League wants a full-time replacement.

And Australian McRae, 47, has emerged as the clear favourite.

"I would talk to them for sure. I'm keeping a very open mind and I've always said it wouldn't be a problem coming back to the UK," he said.

Former St Helens boss McRae recently stepped down as director of rugby at South Sydney, five months after being relieved of the coaching duties.

The Great Britain post officially became vacant on 1 January and Noble effectively ruled himself out of contention because of his commitments with Wigan.

"We believe that only a full-time coach will have the proper opportunity to positively influence plans for the Rugby League World Cup in 2008, the Tri-Nations in 2009 and further into the future," said RFL executive chairman Richard Lewis.

Under Noble, Britain won six of their 14 Tests and collected the wooden spoon from last year's Tri-Nations Series for the second successive year.

Noble's assistant Jon Sharp, the Huddersfield head coach, could be a candidate to succeed him, along with Paul Cullen (Warrington), Karl Harrison (Salford) and John Kear (Wakefield).

Australian David Waite, in charge from 2001-4, was the last full-time coach of Great Britain.

McRae guided St Helens to the League and Cup double in 1996 and was the only man to hold the position of head coach throughout the first nine seasons of Super League.

He was at Gateshead for their solitary season in 1999 and spent four years in charge of Hull.

McRae has also held coaching positions with all three major rugby league-playing nations. He was with Australia from 1990-94, helped prepare New Zealand for the 1995 World Cup and worked with Andy Goodway for Great Britain in 1997.