Leeds Rhinos' James Bentley playing 'my best rugby' ahead of Ireland Rugby League World Cup campaign

Leeds’ competitive season began back in February, but three separate suspensions meant Bentley missed much of the first half of the campaign.

His form from June onwards was impressive and he is looking to continue that - on home soil at Headingley - for Ireland in their opening tie against Jamaica on Sunday.

“I’ve got about five caps now, but this is my first World Cup, we’ve got a good bunch of lads here and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in,” Bentley said.

“I am feeling happy with my form, I am feeling fit and the body’s feeling pretty good. I didn’t play much at the start of the year so I’ve still got plenty of games left in me and I am feeling good and ready to go.”

Bentley reckons his aggression, which led to one sending off and a couple of sin-binnings at the start of the year, is now under control.

“I think I’ve got the right balance now,” he said. “Obviously it was tipping over a bit at the start of the year, but I feel like I’ve got my head where it needs to be and I’m playing some of my best rugby at the minute.”

Bentley is one of two Leeds players in Ireland’s squad to face Jamaica, along with full-back Richie Myler.

“It’ll be good getting out there with him,” Bentley said. “We’ve had some good times at Leeds this year and he’s a class act at the back. I think that’s his best spot and he’s shown in training how good he can be.”

Ireland’s squad also includes second-rower James McDonnell who will join Rhinos in pre-season from Wigan Warriors.

Ireland: from Myler, Chamberlain, T King, I Senior, Keary, Keyes, Byrne, Cook, Jolliffe, Bentley, Halton, G King, McDonnell, Rushton, O’Hagan, Norman, L Senior, Michael, Hasson.

Jamaica: from Agoro, Andrade, Bailey, Brown, Golding, Ho, Johnson, B Jones-Bishop, A Jones-Bishop, Lawrence, McDonald, Ogden, Peltier, Rush, Simpson, Tomlinson, Wallace, Woodburn-Hall, Young.

Referee: Ben Casty (France).

Kick-off: Sunday, 5.pm.