Rugby: Ellis considering captaincy

The 31-year-old former Wakefield and Leeds second rower, who will fly out with England to South Africa on Wednesday for their high-altitude training camp, is one of the senior members of the squad and among those fancied to succeed Jamie Peacock as national captain.

"Pulling on an England jersey is probably one of the proudest moments I've ever had and to lead the team would be fantastic," he said.

"But I fully appreciate that I'm 31 now and probably not going to be around for too many years.

"This might be an opportunity for Steve to pick someone a bit younger. There are plenty of candidates. I suppose it depends on how Steve wants to go about it."

Ellis will be back in Super League in 2013 after bucking a trend by returning from Australia's NRL, which is becoming a big attraction once more for a growing number of English players.

Up to his infamous biting incident, Ellis' England team-mate James Graham had been a major success on his debut season while all four Burgess brothers will be with South Sydney in 2013 and even fringe Super League players like Matty Russell and Louis Sheriff have signed up with Australian clubs for next year.

Ellis, who left Leeds in 2008, established a tremendous reputation in the NRL, where he was Wests Tigers' player of the year in each of his first three seasons, and would heartily recommend the move despite opting to return to take up a three-year contract with Hull.

"I knew I'd want to come back at some stage and the time feels right," he said.

"I'm glad I did it and I wouldn't change anything. If anyone asks me, I can only tell them how good it is and I think there will be more players go out there.

"It's certainly one of the best things that I've ever done. It brought me on as a player and certainly brought me on as a person, going out there not knowing anybody and having to make your own way on and off the field."

Ellis sparked a frantic chase for his signature once he decided to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Tigers, with virtually every Super League club expressing an interest.

In the end, it came down to a straight choice between Leeds and Hull, with the latter pulling off the marquee signing.

"It was a tough decision," he said. "The big draw was to go back to Leeds, were I'd be comfortable and could slot straight back in.

"But, at the end of the day, I just didn't think that was what I needed at this stage of my career.

"I had gone over to Australia and challenged myself and it had worked out so I thought I'd stick to that blueprint.

"I think Hull are going in the right direction and I hope it takes me to another level in my playing ability.

"I'm excited about it. I suppose there is pressure on me to perform but it is no more than I put on myself to play well.

"I don't think I've ever played a game where I've not given 100% and hopefully that will be good enough."

Ellis has been back in the country with his wife and young son for just over a week, moving back into the Wetherby house they rented out while in Australia, and he says he is already feeling at home.

"We came back plus one and bringing Issac up over in Australia was fantastic," he said. "It's such a great outdoor lifestyle.

"But family has always been important to me. There was a knock at the door the other day and my dad walked in.

"That was the first time someone had just walked into our house for four years - it's normally been a planned event with picking people up from the airport - and it was probably the moment when I felt we were home."