Tony Smith, the England coach, will be able to call on the services of Leon Pryce at the World Cup in Australia next month after the St Helens stand-off was cleared to miss the next scheduled court hearing into an assault charge.
Pryce was initially charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Damon O'Brien at a house in Bradford in July but this charge was today reduced to one of assault by beating, to which Pryce pleaded not guilty before Bradford magistrates earlier today. Pryce is expected to play for St Helens against Wigan tomorrow.
The case has been adjourned until October 16, three days after the England team depart for Brisbane, and Pryce, who has been given conditional bail, has been advised that his presence will not be required.
At the same hearing, Pryce's former Bradford team-mate, Stuart Reardon, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault against O'Brien. He also denied assaulting his wife, Kay. Both players denied using violence to gain entry to the property.
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
Was hoping he would be spending tonight trying to avoid dropping the soap in the showers.
Having seen stains play the bulls in the challenge cup last year, I don't think he'd try to hard!
"And Martin Offiah, trying to make some space, now then..." - Ray French, Wembley 1994
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Interviewer: So that obviously means that you're not going to St Helens and you're not going to Leeds?
Frano: I don't know why I would ever want to go to St Helens or Leeds
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