Chase ready to bide his time

Rangi Chase must wait to win back his place in the England team but for now he is happy to be experiencing the "brotherhood" of the squad.

The 2011 Man of Steel has recovered from a groin injury he picked up on England's training camp in South Africa but has not made coach Steve McNamara's 19-man squad for Saturday's game against France at Craven Park.

Chase was initially forced into the role of spectator for England's opening autumn international and was mightily impressed by their 80-12 victory over Wales in Wrexham.

"The boys played well against Wales," said Chase.

"I'm just happy to be back in camp and being picked would be a bonus."

Young outside backs Zak Hardaker and Kallum Watkins particularly caught his eye against Wales.

"It was awesome," he said. "From the sidelines you see things you don't really see when you're playing.

"It was a really professional performance and I was happy for everyone.

"I think Kallum is going to be one of the best centres England's ever had. He's a freak. Zak is going to be one of the best youngsters as well.

"That's the beauty of our squad, we've got some amazing talent. We've got Richie Myler, another really good young player, and just to have all that competition will bring out the best in us."

While Myler continues to keep Chase out of the side, Hardaker is set to make way for the return of full-back Sam Tomkins, who has recovered from a knee injury.

Winger Tom Briscoe and forward Ben Harrison are also recalled, the latter taking the place of injured loose forward Sean O'Loughlin.

Chase is still hoping to return for the final, against France at the City of Salford Stadium on Sunday week, and renew his half-back partnership with new England captain Kevin Sinfield. The pair were room-mates in South Africa, where Chase admitted his eyes were opened by the attention to detail of the long-serving Leeds skipper.

"We built up a good relationship in South Africa," he said. "We got to know each other on a personal level.

"Obviously we're very different people, from different backgrounds and with different upbringings, but I can relate to Kev because he's a family man and I'm a family man myself.

"It was good to room with him for a week. I can learn a lot from him and hopefully he can learn something from me.

"Kev is the ultimate professional. He does things that I don't do that I probably should do, things over my career I sort of think I've lacked."

McNamara took his squad on their 10-day high-altitude training camp to Potchefstroom, in the north-west province of South Africa, to not only prepare for the autumn internationals but as a dummy run in the build-up to the 2013 World Cup.

"We were pretty much in the middle of nowhere so all we had was each other," Chase added. "We mingled and I got to know other people from different teams.

"I'm the only one from Cas and it was good to get to know the other boys and for us to come close as a team.

"That's the biggest thing I've noticed, us all coming together and bonding. It's like a brotherhood, it's an awesome feeling to have."