Leeds Rhinos news: Richie Myler looking ahead to new contract as he plays 'best rugby for a long time'

The former England half-back made his Ireland debut at this year’s tournament, playing in all three of their group games.

The Wolfhounds, who were based in Leeds, beat Jamaica in their opening game, but defeats by Lebanon and New Zealand wrecked their hopes of a quarter-final place.

Myler is now on his off-season break, but is already thinking about the 2025 global tournament in France.

“It would be nice,” he said of his prospects of playing in a second World Cup. “I have got two more years [at Leeds] so that’ll get me close to it and I’ll see how we go.

“My contract takes me to 2024, my body is feeling good and I think I’ve been playing the best rugby I’ve played for a long time, so I am enjoying it.

“Going into next season it’ll be the longest I’ve ever been anywhere and I love it at Leeds. I don’t have any ambition to leave or go anywhere else.

“If I can get another year, which will take me into the World Cup, that’ll be good for me, but I don’t see myself playing anywhere else.”

Myler suffered a groin injury in Rhinos’ opening game of 2022 which kept him out of action until May, but finished the campaign with 10 tries in 20 appearances.

He reflected: “It has been a long year. I am going to have some time off and have a rest, get refreshed and then ready to go in pre-season.

“I think Rohan [Smith, Rhinos’ coach] is going to put his stamp on the team in pre-season and I’m looking forward to it.”

Preparations for 2023 begin in two weeks’ time, but Myler will report in later following his World Cup duty.

“I think it’s going to be good,” he said.”We’ve got some young players who’ve come in and will be good for the squad - they’ve got lots of talent and lots of ambition. Hopefully we can build on the way we ended the season this year.

“I think it’s a good squad, they’ve brought in 23/24-year-old players which is something we’ve needed. I think if we can build on the way we ended this year, it’ll be good.”

Myler declared his allegiance to Ireland earlier this year and feels the Wolfhounds can be proud of their World Cup campaign, despite the 48-10 loss to New Zealand at Headingley last Friday.

“We always knew we were going to be up against it,” he admitted of that must-win game. “New Zealand are a quality side, full of international talent so we knew our backs were against the wall, but I thought it was a credible performance.

“We ripped in for one another, but they were too big and too strong. It has been a good camp, though, it has been great to be with the boys and have enjoyed it.”