Jamie Peacock has the chance to show his World Cup captaincy credentials as he returns for Leeds at Harlequins tonight.

England coach Tony Smith is set to name his skipper for this month's one-off Test against France on Monday with the chosen player likely to retain the job for this autumn's World Cup in Australia.

Former Bradford captain Peacock is favourite to land the position having led Great Britain since 2005.

The influential forward delivered a towering performance as Leeds edged out Wigan in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals a fortnight ago.

He missed last week's engage Super League defeat of Hull after a badly cut arm became infected but coach Brian McClennan is ready to welcome him back for the leaders' trip to London.

McClennan said: "We are pleased to have Jamie Peacock back on board this week and he will be keen to get back out there.

"It was an enforced rest for him last week because we needed to let his injury heal but we are also mindful of JP's commitments to the national side as well and we want him in the best possible shape for Leeds and England."

Quins, two points off the play-off positions, go into the game buoyed by yesterday's announcement coach Brian McDermott has agreed a new contract.

The former Great Britain and Bradford prop has impressed since taking charge at the Twickenham Stoop two years ago and had been linked with vacancies at Warrington and Huddersfield.

He is now committed until the end of the 2011 season, strengthening the club's long-term development plans.

Once derided for an over-reliance on foreigners, Quins are now starting the reap the rewards for their local youth work with seven of this weekend's 19-man squad having come through the Academy.

"I am very honoured and excited to be staying with the club," said McDermott. "There has been a massive amount of hard work done over the last few years down here and I am really pleased to be seeing the job through."

One of his homegrown players, prop Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, could return after three months out with a broken wrist but in-form winger Rikki Sheriffe is out.

Fourth-placed Wigan travel to Perpignan to face the side immediately above them, Catalans Dragons, tonight.

The French side have proved one of the surprise packages of the season so far and now have genuine hopes of qualifying for the play-offs for the first time.

Coach Mick Potter said: "It is a realistic objective to make the semis from the position we are in at the moment and I suppose as we get closer you set your targets a little bit higher.

"We would like to think we have a chance to get a spot in the six."