My only focus now is doing well for Wasps
ENGLAND flanker Brad Shields has revealed the pain of missing out on World Cup selection due to an injury he hoped would only sideline him for ‘a couple of weeks.’
The Wasps forward flew home from the pre-tournament Treviso training camp in July after injuring ligaments in his foot. The issue ruled him out of the warm-up games and, ultimately, contention for Eddie Jones’ 31-man squad.
“It was just during training,” said Shields, recalling the moment his World Cup dreams ended. “I took off funny and felt my foot. It was quite sore. I’d torn a bit of my plantar fascia. You don’t realise how much you use your feet until you can’t use one.
“For some reason I thought it would turn around in a couple of weeks but it took a fair bit longer than that, unfortunately.”
The New Zealand-born 28-yearold only made his playing return a fortnight ago against Northampton Saints in a Premiership Rugby Cup encounter at Franklin’s Gardens.
He is back in the Wasps starting line-up for today’s cup clash with Worcester Warriors in a match that should’ve followed England’s final pool game with France – an encounter that has been cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis.
“It’s been very difficult,” added the former New Zealand U20 international. “You watch it on TV and you’re very much the number one supporter but at the same time you would love to be in the mix. “As it happens it’s not the way it has gone and the next focus for me was Wasps. Although I am enjoying watching England play, enjoying watching the World Cup as a whole, it is what it is. I’ve got a job to do at Wasps for now, what happens from there is out of my control.” Shields declared he was ‘fully fit’ after a good pre-season with Wasps but suggested the injury that ended his World Cup hopes could require management midweek between games. “I guess it’s one of those injuries where there might be a little bit of pain you’ve got to get used to,” he said. “I think I’ve gone past that point now. As long as though I can manage during the week, and it doesn’t get too bad, it’ll be fine for the weekend. It hasn’t affected me so far.”
In his absence England qualified for the knock-out stage claiming bonus-point wins against Tonga, USA and Argentina with back rows Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Lewis Ludlam and Mark Wilson all impressing. Shields remains in the loop with England’s management team and his desire to return to the international fold burns brightly.
“They keep in touch and see how you’re trucking and seeing what’s been happening. It’s good like that, keep you in the loop a little bit,” he said.
“I’d love to pull on the jersey again, it’s just a matter of playing well for Wasps and doing the best that I can to show that I am a worthy contender and the rest is out of control.
“I’ve just got to put my hand up by playing really well for Wasps, who knows what can happen.”
You watch it on TV and you’re very much the number one supporter but at the same time you would love to be in the mix. Brad Shields