Peacock says Leigh would grace Super League

Leeds were trailing in the first half against the impressive Championship part-timers in Friday’s quarter-final, were level 12-12 at the interval but did not make their crucial decisive breakthrough until as late as the 72nd minute.

Confident Leigh showed all the reasons why they had enjoyed a 100 per cent record in 2014, stacking up 16 consecutive wins before falling at Headingley, and Peacock feels they stand a real chance of earning promotion.

Next season, the bottom four Super League clubs after 23 rounds go into a new competition against the Championship’s leading quartet, with the resultant top four then going up in 2016.

Leeds prop Peacock, 36, said: “When you are in a rut and you are low on confidence, you are not as good a player.

“When you are winning every week, as Leigh have shown, it breeds confidence.

“It is going to be interesting when the top-four who are winning games meet the bottom-four, who are losing.

“We are going to see what momentum means in rugby league. If they keep that team together Leigh have every chance of getting up and getting into Super League.”

Leigh, well-organised, defensively tough and showing plenty of class with the ball, earned plenty of plaudits for bringing back some magic to the Challenge Cup, especially after Keighley Cougars’ disappointing showing at Widnes the previous night.

“It was a tough Cup tie,” admitted Peacock, whose Leeds side will now face Warrington Wolves for a place at Wembley.

“It just showed what a good side Leigh are and how teams can rise to the occasion.

“There’s a lot on the line in these one-off games and I thought Leigh played really well and fully played their part in what would have been a good Cup tie to watch for the neutral.

“I thought they’d be good. They scored some good tries. Their second try was a good, off-the-cuff try and once they got out in front their tails were always going to get up.

“We were a bit blase with the ball early on, but we got into our groove in the second half and we took the juice out of them.

“That’s why we got a couple of tries at the end, but they should be really proud of their efforts as a team.

“If you put those players in a full-time environment they would go well in Super League. They are a good side, they play good football and fair play to them. They deserve a lot of respect for what they did.”

With the absorbing game locked and on a knife-edge, Peacock and his Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield ended up arguing between themselves at on point as another move broke down for the hosts.

It was an unfamiliar sight and perhaps hinted at the frustrations building as the hosts struggled to get on top against their second-tier opponents.

But Peacock, who was sin-binned for fighting after retaliating to a foul by Matt Sarsfield, said: “I think having honesty with each other is a sign you have got a good environment.

“Me and Kev can be honest and have an argument and get on with things and there’s no difference.

“Obviously if you are an outsider looking in it looks like we are losing it, but we’re not. We are just being honest with each other and that’s what winning environments are about.

“It does get frustrating when you get down there and they are defending and holding on and holding on, but you have got to give them credit for their desire.

“Their desire to win the game was fantastic.”