WATCH: Masi Matongo targets England but first still needs to "secure" Hull FC spot

The rangy young prop takes on Catalans Dragons tonight having spent time in the England camp earlier this week.

Matongo, 22, is part of the England Knights Performance Squad who met up with the full England squad in Leeds on Monday.

He was under consideration for the Knights’ trip to Brisbane and Papua New Guinea last autumn following an impressive campaign with the Black and Whites but eventually stayed off the tour due to personal reasons.

Matongo hopes to make his Knights debut in at the end of this year instead and said: “It was a good atmosphere (on Monday) to be around some of the best players in the league.

“Just being involved in the set-up is good for me and everyone else.

“It was good to have a few (Hull) boys there - Scott Taylor, Jamie Shaul, Dean Hadley and Jake Connor. It’s good recognition for the FC boys and I have to keep working hard to stay there.

“We had some food and then Jamie Peacock, Kevin Sinfield, Paul Wellens and Paul Anderson all spoke to us about the set-up and what direction they are trying to head in.

“I definitely want to stay involved in it but first off I want to make sure I play well for my club.

“I wouldn’t say I’m 100 per cent in the team (at Hull) yet so I have to keep playing well and to secure a spot here.

“Then hopefully, if that works out, I can work to get in the England set-up at the end of the year and get a game or two for them.”Matongo has only missed two games this term and made eight starts, helping lead Hull up front when they have been missing a raft of front-row talent such as Josh Bowden, Chris Green and Taylor.

But competition is stiffening up again now with Lee Radford able to call upon eight ‘middles’ in his 19-man squad for tonight’s game.

“There’s a few boys back now,” said Matongo, with the likes of Brad Fash, Levy Nzoungou and Jordan Thompson pushing hard.

“Greeny’s back and Josh Bowden won’t be far off.

“It’s good to get our front-row players back and that competition really; you know no one’s slacking about and everyone is pushing hard to get in this team for the weekend.

“I know if I have a bad game here, there’ll be everyone will be snapping on my heels.

“Especially little Jack Brown as well. He’s coming through and is a good player too so I know if I have a bad game anyone can get in at any time so I have to make sure I play well as consistently as I can.”

‘Little’ Jack Brown is the 18-year-old prop who won man-of-the-match with a superb display on debut when Hull beat Catalans in Golden Point extra-time in Perpignan just three weeks ago.

“I didn’t play in that first game,” said Matongo, with Hull now up to third.

“I’m looking forward to facing them. Everyone knows what they are about - big, strong, direct with some big runners like Julian Bousquet and Sam Kasiano so it’ll be a tough challenge for us.

“We have to make sure we beat everyone around us and keep performing well to secure that top-five spot and especially now we’re third.

“We’re already in a good position to do that and we just have to keep pushing on and make sure we don’t have any big slip-ups.”

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe-born forward admits he relished listening to legendary former England captain Peacock who is now England's football manager.

“He obviously was one of the best wasn’t he?” said Matongo.

“That’s what most props look to get to that sort of standard - he played for Great Britain, England - and him being involved will hopefully help a lot of us younger props coming through.”