Leonard to equal Sella’s world record with 111th cap

WHEN Jason Leonard trundles down the tunnel at the Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, he will make all of England proud — and one particular Frenchman just a shade sad.

The Harlequins's prop will make his 111th world record-equalling appearance for England in the World Cup quarterfinal showdown against Wales, and there could hardly be a more passionate backdrop for such a magical milestone.

On Sunday night, he is almost certain to get a call from the legendary former French centre Philippe Sella the other man to have played 111 internationals.

Leonard said: "He's coming over here, and I think he's quite content that I finish on 111 and call it a day there.

"His exact words to me were that if I did, the party would be in Agen and it would all be on him. I'm not sure I can be bribed that much."

The fact is, there is no way Leonard the master exponent of the "I only look as far as the next game" quote is considering anything other than appearing in the World Cup final in Sydney on November 22.

Will he quit then?

"I've not thought about anything past this World Cup," he says. "I'll sit down and think about it after that. The only thing you can be definitely sure of is that I won't be playing in the next World Cup.

"I'm more surprised than anyone else to have lasted so long. You can't sit down and think how long you are going to be playing or how many caps you are going to get. I grew up with people who were happy to get 15 caps or in the twenties or thirties. That was an exceptional England career.

"It gets harder each year. Once the enthusiasm goes for being prepared to get up early in the morning and train, leave the family for weeks on end, once that goes, that's the time to call it a day.

"But this World Cup has been great fun. I've enjoyed every single day. I know plenty of people who go to work, and they have a terrible day in the office. I've got a great job, I play rugby."

That's typical Leonard, who has demonstrated the prop forward's art with such dignity and aggression since winning his first cap against Argentina in Buenos Aires in 1990 in a match he describes as "the toughest, most vicious game I've ever played in".

Like the good carpenter he once was, Leonard would also be happy to be left alone to carve out his slot in rugby history with meticulous care and precision and let others do the talking.

Indeed, he views his achievements so phlegmatically that he happily donated the England shirt with which he passed Rory Underwood's old England record of 86 caps to the Twickenham museum.

So what has kept him going all these years?

"It's the buzz," he explains. "Once you run out and that noise hits you, that's the reason you play. You want to play in front of big vocal crowds. You feel the fear of losing, and that is a good spur for anybody. But it's not about me. This is England-Wales. It's special. It's about the team,"

Which is how it has been with Leonard for the last 110 matches.