Injured England skipper Jamie Peacock vows to lead his country against all-stars in June
Injured Leeds and England forward Jamie Peacock has set himself the target of regaining full fitness in time to lead his country in the proposed mid-season match against an overseas all-stars team.
Mid-season target: Jamie Peacock has his eyes set on the glamourLeeds fixture
The former Bradford skipper was forced to miss the end of the last domestic season and England's Four Nations Series after severely damaging knee ligaments during the Rhinos' Engage Super League match at Castleford in August.
Peacock is still only halfway through his rehabilitation and is not due back in action for his club until early May but he is keen to make up for lost time and is desperate to reclaim the captaincy of the national team under head coach Steve McNamara.
England's first match of 2011 is almost certain to be a showdown with the cream of overseas talent plying their trade in Super League at the expense of the usual mid-season international against France.
That game has been pencilled in for June 12, giving Peacock the chance to get some matches in for his new club coach Brian McDermott before the big test, and he insists he will be ready in time.
'I don't see why not,' he said, speaking at Leeds' pre-season media day at Headingley.
'I've quite a bit of experience under my belt and I think I'll slip straight back into playing quite easily.
'I think both Maccas, Steve and Brian, know I can produce big performances when I need to.
'You only get so many opportunities to captain your country. Obviously I want to get back to doing that.
'No disrespect to France, but France during the year are not the opposition they are at the end of the year and this is a new concept.
'It's going to be exciting to play in and it's going to be a real test.'
Peacock, who turned 33 last month, will take time off in March for a family holiday, having had no chance to take a break in the close season due to a rigorous rehabilitation programme.
'I had to be in here making sure the knee was right and it's been relentless,' he said.
'I go away for a week in March, then hopefully I'll have four or five weeks training and then get into it some time in May.
'I'm halfway through - four months into it and four to go - and I'm now on the downhill bit. Every week it's getting better, I'm having more and more good days and doing a bit more.'
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