Rob Purdham believes his presence in England's World Cup squad will aid their cause in Australia, regardless of whether he plays.
Quins captain's versatility could be key
Rob Purdham believes his presence in England's World Cup squad will aid their cause in Australia, regardless of whether he plays or not.
The Harlequins captain put in a man-of-the-match performance in England's warm-up match against Wales, with Purdham contributing 22 points in a 74-0 mauling.
The goal-kicking loose forward will be vying against the likes of Gareth Ellis, Kevin Sinfield and Jon Wilkin for a place in coach Tony Smith's side for the opening game against Papua New Guinea on October 25.
However, having starred in what was a makeshift side fielded in Doncaster on Friday night, Purdham is delighted to provide his rivals with healthy competition.
One squad
"We're all one squad out there and we're all striving for the same thing, and that's to win the World Cup," he said.
"If I push someone else, they're going to improve their game and vice versa. The competition is going to make the whole squad better."
Purdham earned his promotion after another season of consistently impressive performances for his club.
But he is only one of eight back-row forwards in Smith's 24-man squad, who set off for Australia on Monday, and admits his selection took him by surprise.
"I hoped I'd get a call-up, I didn't really expect one," continued Purdham, who led a second-string England to victory in the 2006 Federation Shield.
"There are a lot of good players in Super League and a lot of people vying for my position. It's going to take a big effort to get in there."
Injury ruled the 28-year-old Cumbrian out of the mid-season international against France, but he never gave up hope of making the World Cup.
"I did my hamstring earlier in the year but luckily I had a bit of form towards the end of the season," he said.
"I always thought that, with the way Harlequins were playing - we were never far away from beating the top teams - as long as we kept producing and I kept producing, Tony would be having a look.
"Captaining the Federation Shield team in 2006 was the highlight of my career and this has gone up another level.
"It's going to be a difficult challenge - mentally and physically - going over to Australia and playing against the best teams in the world."
No surprise
Purdham's performance against Wales came as no surprise to Smith, who has monitored his progress over the last 18 months.
"He's had a tremendous year," Smith said. "He brought a lot to his own team.
"Versatility is an obvious advantage and he's a guy who punches well above his weight.
"He is so strong for his size and is a player who churns out good performances week after week. He brings consistency and versatility to the squad and enhances our goal-kicking ability."
Indeed, versatility could be the watchword for 14-stone Purdham, who is lighter than most of England's backs but who could nevertheless win a place on the bench Down Under.
"This year I've played just about everywhere - loose forward, second row, centre, half-back," he added. "Wherever I'm needed, I'll turn up to play."
