Rhinos star has no plans for England return

The former England captain, 35, quit last June to concentrate on his club career with Leeds Rhinos.

That has reaped dividends with the powerful prop enjoying his best football yet, so much so he is widely tipped to win Man of Steel.

Peacock’s devastating form has left many begging the question will he make himself available again for the World Cup this autumn?

As he prepares to try steering Leeds into a third successive Grand Final tonight, he conceded: “It’d be nice if I could and I thought about it and talked about it.

“There was a little bit of me thinking I would but I’ll be honest – I don’t think I could rise for another few games.

“I’m nearly 36, it’s a 30-odd game season and to do a two month tournament and play as well as I possibly could, I don’t think it’s doable.

“There’s better props than me this time of year who are in better condition and will be able to do more than I could do at the moment.”

Peacock, who debuted for England in the 2000 World Cup, continued: “It was my thought. It’s big playing for England and massive playing a World Cup especially in your home country.

“But sometimes you have to be honest with yourself and as much as it’s something you’d like to do you have to say it ain’t going to happen.

“It’s hard to tell yourself but you have to do it. I made the decision probably towards the back end of the year.

“You find training’s a bit harder than you’d like it to be and you know if you fire yourself out of a gun at the weekend for the team, to do it for an additional two months would be no good.

“There’s so many good props coming through as well. We’ve the Burgess brothers, James Graham, Chris Hill and I think we’re covered in that position.”

Leeds coach Brian McDermott said Peacock had “blown the club’s stats out of the water” this year.

He added: “If he’s done this at the age of 35 on the back of not playing for England and getting a good pre-season with us, how good would Kev (Sinfield), Sam Tomkins and James Roby be if they had a good whole pre-season?

“I don’t know the answer to that – I’m just throwing it up – but we always point the bone at our sport blooming as it should be on the back of a good international series.”