PEACOCK TOUTS OZ STAR FOR ENGLAND CALL

BIG CHANCE: Cuthbertson FORMER England captain Jamie Peacock is pushing his Leeds front- row colleague Adam Cuthbertson for an England call- up.

The 30- year- old Australian prop, who produced a man- of- the- match performance in the Rhinos’ 26- 14 Super League win over Wigan on Friday night, has a Warrington- born father and has put his hand up to represent England.

Signed in the winter on a four- year deal from Newcastle Knights, Cuthbertson has proved to be an instant hit with Leeds – and Peacock believes he could make an impact with Steve McNamara’s men in the Test series against New Zealand in the autumn.

“He’s been really good for us this year,” said Peacock.

“He’s slotted straight into Super League. He’s got a great style of football and he can play a bit.”

Peacock says he would not have a problem with the Sydney- born player representing England, pointing to McNamara’s selection of New Zealand- born Rangi Chase for the 2013 World Cup.

Hurdle

And predecessor Tony Smith picked Samoaborn forward Maurie Fa’asavalu for Great Britain in 2007.

“The bigger pool you can get for England, the better,” said Peacock.

“We are seeing that within all sports now with eligibility rules, so why not?

“I can’t speak for other players – you would have to ask them if it puts their noses out of joint.

“But it never bothered me.”

The biggest hurdle for Cuthbertson will be the plethora of world- class front- row forwards at McNamara’s disposal.

James Graham, Tom and George Burgess and Chris Hill are expected to be automatic picks after playing in the 2014 Four Nations Series.

And St Helens duo Alex Walmsley and Kyle Amor are pushing themselves into the reckoning.