Wednesday 25th June 08

St Helens stand-off Leon Pryce has won the vote over Danny McGuire for the number six jersey for England in Friday night’s Gillette international against France.

Pryce, who will partner Leeds scrum-half Rob Burrow, got the nod when England coach Tony Smith finalised his starting line-up after the squad’s first training session in Toulouse.

Pryce played in the first two Tests of last year’s series against New Zealand but made way for McGuire in the last match.

The former Bradford Bulls favourite had been a slight doubt after picking up a leg injury in last Friday’s 26-12 win at Leeds but was able to take a full part in training today.

Castleford Tigers’ uncapped back row forward Joe Westerman, 18, and Warrington Wolves second rower Ben Westwood were the two players to drop out of Smith’s initial 19-man squad.

As expected, Hull KR winger Peter Fox will make his international debut but all the other 16 players featured in Britain’s whitewash of the Kiwis.

Captain Jamie Peacock will be in the front row while his Leeds Rhinos skipper Kevin Sinfield got the vote over St Helens loose forward Jon Wilkin for the number 13 jersey.

Smith said: “I am delighted with this team - it’s a big pack but the French are a big team also and we need to more than match them in that area and I believe this team will.

“We want to dominate in the forwards to give our backs a chance to play some rugby league.”

England: P Wellens (St Helens); A Gardner (St Helens), M Gleeson (Warrington), K Senior (Leeds), P Fox (Hull KR); L Pryce (St Helens), R Burrow (Leeds); A Morley (Warrington), J Roby (St Helens), J Peacock (Leeds, capt), G Ellis (Leeds), S Burgess (Bradford), K Sinfield (Leeds).

Subs: J Graham (St Helens), M Fa’asavalu (St Helens), J Wilkin (St Helens), D McGuire (Leeds).