TEN years have passed since Great Britain memorably toppled Australia in a ferocious Tri-Nations encounter in Sydney.

Not much has gone right against the Kangaroos since.

That 23-12 victory at the Aussie Stadium on November 4 in 2006 was the last time the national team overcame their deadly rivals.

Sean Long was the Lions' man of the match after recovering from a vicious late challenge from Aussie enforcer Willie Mason to orchestrate his side's success.

"We hammered them in the end and I've got fond memories of that day," said Leon Pryce, who won the treble alongside Long at St Helens during that season.

"In the press leading up to the game, we had been getting a bit of stick from the Aussie media.

"I think we believed in ourselves but at the same time you know that playing in Australia's back garden is always going to be tough.

"Longy had a quite brilliant game – possibly his best-ever for Great Britain – and it was one of those nights when everything went right.

"Having done so well that year at Saints, it was always likely that we'd have a few players in the Great Britain squad.

"We were all playing well and Paul Wellens was Man of Steel and Longy was massive in us beating the Aussies, while Gilly (Lee Gilmour) scored a try and James Roby was class as usual.

"All the Saints boys had a big say in the game but it was a strong Great Britain team all round."

Pryce has never been afraid to speak his mind – and who could forget his infamous "I'd rather be on Blackpool beach than Bondi beach" comment during the 2006 tour?

That added to the rivalry and Stuart Fielden, widely regarded as the world's best prop at the time, and Long were targeted by Mason early in the game.

Pryce recalled: "The Aussie media had really been building Stuart up in the press, so I think their players were out for him a little bit and Mason hit him early on.

"There was a bit of a scuffle and Jamie Peacock banged Mason – but that's Test match rugby for you.

"These things happen and it's what the fans want to see. Mason then hit Longy again five minutes later and in any other game he probably would have been sent off.

"I think it showed how tough Longy was because he was probably knocked out a little bit but just had a few stitches in his eye and carried on playing in a man of the match performance. That's what I remember most about that game."

Now, as Wayne Bennett's England seek to record the win they need against Australia on Sunday if they are to make the final seven days later, Pryce is in bullish mood.

The veteran Bradford recruit said: "Can we beat the Aussies? Of course we can.

"Half our team play in the NRL and are stand-out players there.

"The other half are playing very well in Super League, so I'm full of belief that we can do it.

"No-one is saying it'll be easy, because it never is against the Aussies, but I absolutely believe that we can do it and I think the boys believe that too."

Pryce revealed the physical and mental demands he faced against the Kangaroos, adding: "It doesn't get any tougher than playing Australia.

"The speed of the games are very fast and extremely physical – every tackle hurts – but when you play in them, you are in your peak physical condition yourself.

"Every tackle is tough and it's not easy to break tackles and score, so you've just got to stay in the grind.

"When you've got players like Billy Slater, Darren Lockyer and Andrew Johns flying around at 100 miles per hour, it becomes even tougher.

"When you play against them the first time as a young kid, there is a bit of trepidation.

"That continues for maybe the next couple of games against them – but after that you take a tackle and you realise they are human just like you.

"Players like James Graham, Sam Burgess, Elliott Whitehead and Josh Hodgson won't be fazed because they play against these guys every week. They certainly won't have any mental block."

The conundrum for Bennett this weekend is who to pair in the halves. Does he stick with Luke Gale and George Williams or recall Gareth Widdop?

Pryce, one of the best stand-offs of the Super League era, said: "I would go with Gale and Williams – an organising seven and a running six.

"For me, Williams was Wigan's best player this season and is a real threat with his running game.

"Bennett has only been in the job for two or three games and it's going to take longer than that to stamp his mark on the team and the way they play.

"If Bennett can't make England winners against Australia, nobody can."

Pryce begins pre-season training with his new team-mates today after returning to the Bulls on a one-year contract.

The 35-year-old said: "I think we have signed well and Rohan Smith is 100 per cent the right man for the job.

"He's very switched on and I rate him highly. Now it's time to get our heads down and focus on pre-season training."