Exclusive: Man of the moment Chase set to star for England

New Zealander Chase was yesterday drafted into Steve McNamara’s train-on squad for the Four Nations causing plenty of consternation among fellow players, pundits and fans alike.

The elusive stand-off, who has enjoyed an outstanding season and pipped both Sam Tomkins and James Roby to the game’s finest individual honour, qualifies for England on residency grounds.

His inclusion has upset many who believe it is a sleight on the country’s up-and-coming talent, including St Helens’ scrum-half Jonny Lomax who was last night crowned Super League’s Young Player of the Year, plus the likes of experienced Leeds Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield who is seen by many as England’s No 6 for the autumn competition.

Many players, including ex-England star Keith Senior, Bradford Bulls centre Chev Walker, Leeds winger Lee Smith and former Great Britain captain Garry Schofield, used their Twitter accounts to sledge McNamara’s decision but Chase insists he will give his all for his adopted country.

“I’ll tell them what I’ll tell everyone else,” he told the Yorkshire Post.

“This is home for me now and I’m not really bothered about what anyone else says as long as all my team-mates know I’m genuinely behind this and want to play for England.

“That is the case. I’m looking forward to linking up with people like Sam Tomkins, James Roby and James Graham as well as some from the NRL like Gareth Ellis. Fingers crossed I make the final pick.”

The vastly-talented Chase, 25, featured for the New Zealand Maori against England last autumn and was also man-of-the-match when the Exiles defeated McNamara’s team at Headingley earlier this season.

He was quoted then as saying he would love to persuade the Kiwi selectors he was ready to pull on the colours of his homeland and it had been something the Junior Kiwi had dreamed of since childhood.

However, Chase – who joined Castleford from St George Illawarra at the end of 2008 and has just signed a new four-year Tigers deal – maintained: “I never spoke to them.

“I knew coming over here meant that chance had gone but this is my home now.

“I have thought long and hard about the opportunity of playing for England after I became eligible to play.

“I approached Steve McNamara and explained I wanted to play for England and more importantly show my commitment.

“England, and in particular Castleford, is my home now and I want to lay my long-term roots here.

“I have an English girlfriend and signing a new contract with Castleford last week was a big deal for me. I don’t want to play anywhere else.

“I have resurrected my life in England and feel more at ease here than anywhere else in the world. I spend all my time at home and don’t go back to New Zealand in the off season.

“Getting selected for England will be my greatest honour. You can feel there is something special being built and I want to do everything I can to help England achieve international success.”

Regardless of those who feel the move is wrong, it is unquestionable England, for so long in the international wilderness, will be stronger for Chase’s inclusion.

There have been few more creative talents in the era of Super League and the very fact he usurped both the prodigiously devastating Tomkins and universally-admired Roby for the Man of Steel award says plenty.

The award – Chase is only the second New Zealander to win it after Wigan’s Dean Bell in 1992 – is voted for by every Super League player so no one can doubt his impact.

“That’s what makes it all the more special knowing other players throughout Super League voted for me,” he said. “It’s so humbling. It’s unbelievable really. To be in the last three was good enough for me, so to win it is amazing. This has been the biggest year of my life.”

He will have little time to savour last night though given he will be training with his new England team-mates in Sale this morning, a prospect which both excites him and leaves him slightly nervous.

However, Chase will know he has the backing of England captain Jamie Peacock.

“Rangi is an exceptional player,” said the Leeds Rhinos prop, who played alongside the Samoan prop Maurie Fa’savalu for Great Britain and England as recently as 2008.

“He has just won the Man of Steel and seen off competition from people of the calibre of both Sam Tomkins and James Roby.

“They are the world class players in our competition and all we’re doing now is what other teams have been doing for a while.

“Some people won’t like it, some will.

“England’s cricket team, with their South Africans, and rugby union have done it as have Australia and New Zealand in our game.

“People need to get past it all mentality wise and, if we win (the Four Nations), at the end of the day I don’t think anyone will care will they? Players who play in the same position may have different views, but if Steve picked someone like that who was fighting for my position it would just make me play better. I wouldn’t whinge – I would just get on with it.”