Leon Pryce, the St Helens stand-off, will join England's World Cup squad in Australia next month after he denied an assault charge at Bradford Magistrates' Court yesterday. Pryce was given conditional bail and told that he does not need to be in court on October 16 - three days after the party leave for their training base in Queensland - when a case management hearing will be held.

Pryce, 26, was previously charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Damon O'Brien at a house in Bradford in July, but this was reduced to one of assault by beating, to which he entered a plea of not guilty. Stuart Reardon, Pryce's former Bradford Bulls team-mate who is with Warrington Wolves, pleaded not guilty to assaulting his wife, Kay, at the same house. Both players also denied using violence to gain entry.

Pryce is in the St Helens team for this evening's last game of the regular engage Super League season, at home to Wigan Warriors. St Helens show one change from the side who beat Hull in the Carnegie Challenge Cup final on Saturday, with Nick Fozzard replacing the injured Paul Sculthorpe.

Victory would enable St Helens to finish top of the league for a fourth successive year. The League Leaders' Shield will be at Knowsley Road, but if St Helens lose and Leeds Rhinos, the champions, who are away to Wakefield Wildcats at the same time, make up the 51 points difference by which they trail, the trophy will be presented to Leeds after their Grand Final qualifying semi-final against St Helens on September 19.

Brian McClennan, the Leeds coach, said: “The coaching staff will keep an eye on what is happening between Wigan and Saints and if we are chasing something, we can react.”

Bradford have confirmed the signing of Nick Scruton, the Leeds prop. Luke Dorn, the stand-off, has rejoined Harlequins from Castleford Tigers, who have signed Stuart Jones, the Huddersfield Giants forward.