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An England victory in the World Cup final in Brisbane next month would see Peacock emulate Bobby Moore, Clive Sullivan and Martin Johnson by leading the country to sporting greatness.

Sullivan was the last British rugby league captain to hoist the World Cup and in the 36 years that have elapsed since the events at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon, the sport has been dominated by the green and gold of Australia.

All that could change over the next five weeks when Peacock leads England's bid to break Australia's vice-like grip on international honours in a tournament which should climax with a meeting between the sport's two giants.

Just as England's preparations for the World Cup have been geared to achieving World Cup success since the appointment of coach Tony Smith 18 months ago, Peacock's whole career could have been designed with November 22, 2008 in mind.

The 30-year-old prop is already one of the most decorated players in Super League and after a season which saw him emerge as a genuine candidate for the Man of Steel award he will go into the World Cup in peak physical and mental condition.

The next World Cup is scheduled to be staged in England in 2013, by which time Peacock will have long since hung up his playing boots, and the former Bradford Bulls forward is determined to make the most of the opportunities that await in the coming weeks.

"The curtains are beginning to close on my international career," he said. "I haven't too much time left to have a shot at Australia and this will be my last World Cup – I can't see myself being around in five years time.

"This tournament is something I am looking forward to. I have some great memories from my international career so far, including our series win against New Zealand last year, but to lift the World Cup would be the pinnacle.

"Captaining your country is the greatest role any player could have and it's always a special feeling.

"Leading the team out against Papua New Guinea in Townsville on Saturday is going to be great."

Peacock produced his normal full-blooded performance to help Leeds defend the title for the first time in their history two weeks ago and looked fatigued and battle weary in the aftermath of the Rhinos' 24-16 Super League grand final victory over St Helens.

However, within 48 hours he had put aside his blue and amber kit and donned the red and white of England to begin preparing for the trip to Australia and had gained a second wind along the way.

"This is a new competition and we're all starting afresh," said Peacock. "If you asked me to play five or six more Super League games I'd struggle but this is a World Cup and it's a chance to play for England with a new set of players.

"It's one of the proudest times in my professional career."

Peacock will be 31 in December and is the third-most senior member of England's 24-man squad behind Keith Senior and Adrian Morley, who wore the captain's armband in his absence for the mid-season Test victory over France in the summer of 2007. Morley is also captain of his club, Warrington, while England also feature Peacock's captain at Leeds, Kevin Sinfield, but there was never any doubt as to who would get the role for the World Cup.

"Jamie Peacock is a natural leader and a leader who gets on with it. He leads in the right way," said Smith. "Everybody admires him within the squad, nobody more than myself."

That admiration is evident both on the training ground and on the pitch where Peacock plays with a level of passion and commitment that acts as an inspiration for those around him.

The majority of the current squad have played with Peacock before, be it for club or country, and that familiarity bodes well for their ambitions Down Under.

"It's a fantastic squad which shows the strength in depth of Super League," he said. "There is a lot of balance.

"One of the great strengths of this squad is that there is a core group of players which has been together for a long time and who are ready to welcome new players. That's vitally important if we are to do well in this World Cup.

"If you look down the squad list you'll see that they are all great people as well.

"We have a lot of world-class players but even more great blokes and that counts for a lot when you are away on tour.

"We have a great squad, great coaching staff and everything has been planned with the World Cup in mind. It's all about putting in the performances now.

"To win the World Cup would be great but that's a fair few weeks down the line – if you look too far ahead you are going to get bitten on the bum.

"Our only focus is Papua New Guinea, not Australia, not New Zealand or anyone else. We're much too smart to take PNG lightly, as little as we know about them. If they are all like Stanley Gene they're going to be a handful. I'm sure Stanley will have them pumped up come Friday.

"It's a game we are taking seriously because it's one we need to win."
England are 11-2 second favourites to win the World Cup for the fourth time in their history – as Great Britain they won in 1954 and 1960 before the success of Sullivan and Co in 1972 – but Peacock is quietly confident he and his team-mates have what it takes to prove the bookmakers wrong this time around.

"The Australians are favourites, they are at home and they hold the World Cup so we know it's not going to be easy," he said. "They have been the best rugby league team for over 30 years but we have real belief that we can achieve things in this World Cup.

We will just quietly go about our own business and see what happens."
The next five weeks promise to make for quietly compelling viewing.

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