The RFL

Leon Pryce is looking forward to taking on a playmaking role for Great Britain - to finally prove himself on the international stage.

The 26-year-old stand-off has been one of the most successful players of the Super League era, appearing in a record seven engage Super League Grand Finals for Bradford Bulls and St Helens, but admits he has yet to make his mark at Test level.

Pryce won the majority of his 15 caps as a winger under his former Bradford and Great Britain coach Brian Noble but makes no secret of his desire to represent his country in his favourite stand-off role.

He enjoyed arguably his finest hour while plotting Australia’s defeat in Sydney 12 months ago from the stand-off spot and, with rival Danny McGuire ruled out of Saturday’s opening Gillette Fusion Test against New Zealand at Huddersfield with a broken bone in his left hand, he is set to be granted his greatest wish by new national coach Tony Smith.

“I’ve definitely not reached my potential at Test level,” he said.

“Playing on the wing, I think I’ve done an okay job but playing six at Test level is what I’d like to do at some point in my career, even if it’s only a couple of games.

“As much as Super League is a good competition, I don’t think you are really regarded until you really do it on the international scene.

“The likes of Paul Sculthorpe and Jamie Peacock are regarded as great players because they have done it on the international scene. It’s a massive stage to play on.”

It has taken an unlucky break by McGuire to put Pryce in pole position for the stand-off role and he admits he has little time to form an understanding with Rob Burrow, the Leeds Rhinos maestro who looks certain to be named scrum-half.

“I’m looking forward to playing with him,” said Pryce, who at 6ft 3in is set to tower over the 5ft 5in Burrow.

“He’s the form number seven of the competition and has been playing well from round one.

“If we do play together, we will have to work hard in training to get the combination right. Four days is not long to get the half-back combination sorted out.

“I think that’s where probably if Danny was available it would have maybe given him a slight edge because they have played together so long. That’s the way it goes.”

McGuire and Sean Long were the half-backs when Britain suffered a record 34-4 defeat by the Kiwis when the teams last met in Wellington last November.

Pryce, one of 11 Great Britain survivors from that Tri-Nations mis-match, is looking forward to getting the chance to atone for the embarrassment and kick off a new era under new coach Tony Smith on a triumphant note.

Only five players from that game in Wellington remain in the New Zealand squad under their new coach Gary Kemble and Pryce has detected a new mood of optimism in the British camp.

“They played us off the park that day,” Pryce said of last November’s match.

“I played most of the game on the wing and I was watching it and thinking how fantastic the way the prop forwards were passing the ball.

“We’ve got a little bit to make up but it’s a new team and there is a new feeling around the place.

“I see it as a new era under Tony Smith. These are probably exciting times for Great Britain, with a new coach, a new atmosphere and a new feeling.

“We’re third at the moment behind New Zealand and Australia and we don’t want to stay there for too long.”

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