SHAW ON ENGLAND RECALL
Simon Shaw, the Wasps lock, was recalled on Wednesday May 11 as Martin Johnson attempted to beef up his England team to face France on Sunday. It was the 10th international recall for 35-year-old Shaw, who – when he runs out at Twickenham – will have been capped for the Red Rose in every year since 1996.
“Why am I still going after all these years?” Shaw, who has only featured as a replacement under Johnson – the man who cost him more caps in the England second-row – asked. “Because I just love playing the game and I just want to play for England.
“If I feel I'm still capable of playing Heineken Cup rugby I see no reason why I can't play for England. A few doubts crept into my head about my continued ability to play at this level earlier in the season.
“I was perhaps trying too hard and you start wondering whether it is just that you can't stick the pace any more. You do have to build yourself up all over again whenever you get a knock-back selection wise, but my club coaches have always been very supportive. And when you get that pat on the back, you're ready to get up and try to do it all over again.”
Shaw, who replaces Nick Kennedy, is one of three changes to Johnson’s team – Leicester Tigers Tom Croft comes in at blindside flanker in place of James Haskell, and winger Paul Sackey has been dropped for Ugo Monye.
Simon Shaw, the Wasps lock, was recalled on Wednesday May 11 as Martin Johnson attempted to beef up his England team to face France on Sunday. It was the 10th international recall for 35-year-old Shaw, who – when he runs out at Twickenham – will have been capped for the Red Rose in every year since 1996.
“Why am I still going after all these years?” Shaw, who has only featured as a replacement under Johnson – the man who cost him more caps in the England second-row – asked. “Because I just love playing the game and I just want to play for England.
“If I feel I'm still capable of playing Heineken Cup rugby I see no reason why I can't play for England. A few doubts crept into my head about my continued ability to play at this level earlier in the season.
“I was perhaps trying too hard and you start wondering whether it is just that you can't stick the pace any more. You do have to build yourself up all over again whenever you get a knock-back selection wise, but my club coaches have always been very supportive. And when you get that pat on the back, you're ready to get up and try to do it all over again.”
Shaw, who replaces Nick Kennedy, is one of three changes to Johnson’s team – Leicester Tigers Tom Croft comes in at blindside flanker in place of James Haskell, and winger Paul Sackey has been dropped for Ugo Monye.
Labels: England, Simon Shaw
