Refreshed Peacock agrees to new deal at Rhinos

A day after the club announced they would not be offering Keith Senior, 35, a new deal, it was confirmed that another of their long-serving custodians has signed a contract that will see him remain with his home-town club until at least the end of 2012.

Peacock, 33, returned from a serious knee injury at Easter and insists he is subsequently feeling fresher than ever as he prepares to help Leeds push on in their bid for Challenge Cup and Super League honours.

“I can’t believe there are only seven games to go in Super League this season,” said the player who has won three Grand Finals since signing from Bradford in 2006.

“Normally I would be pulling my body through at this stage of the season but I feel in great shape because of the time I had off through injury.

“Hopefully, I have got a few more years in me yet. I am only 33 and I think we are now seeing that 35 is the new 30 in Super League with players who look after their bodies being able to play on past the age when they used to retire.”

Former Huddersfield Giants assistant coach Kieron Purtill, now deputy at St Helens, has been put in charge of the new England Knights side who will take on France and Samoa this October.

Hull FC’s Danny Houghton and St Helens winger Jamie Foster have been called into the Knights squad, joined by Hull KR’s Liam Watts – currently suspended by his club – who comes down from the Elite training squad.

Batley Bulldogs, who have amazed the Championship big-spenders by rising to joint-top on a tight budget this season, could take the overall lead if they beat Leigh, who are level with Karl Harrison’s side and Featherstone Rovers, at Mount Pleasant tonight.

Queensland provided captain Darren Lockyer with a fitting farewell to Origin football as they secured an unprecedented sixth straight series triumph by defeating New South Wales 34-24 in front of 52,498 delirious fans in Brisbane.

The 34-year-old stand-off was hugely influential on his 36th and final Origin appearance at the Suncorp Stadium, where centre Greg Inglis was back to his best with two of the Maroons’ six tries.