Anthony Watson determined to repay Bath’s faith after injury woes
Ask Anthony Watson if he is due a bit of luck after an injury run that has barely seen him play for his club in the past couple of years and he is honest enough to admit good fortune will have to play a part given the nature of the sport.
“Hopefully, hopefully. We’ll see. It’s a contact sport,” said the Bath and England wing after he returned from his latest injury – a knee problem picked up against Harlequins last month – ahead of schedule in Bath’s 38-10 win over London Irish.
“I wanted to push it to be able to play. Play with these guys and try and help the team win. I was desperate to get back as soon as I could, without cutting any corners.”
Watson has spent much of the past two seasons rehabilitating after two serious achilles injuries and has been doing all he can to avoid spending any longer off the pitch.
He said: “I have been in the sauna pretty much every day, icing every day, literally doing everything I can to get back fit. Luckily we have a great medical team at the club who have helped me loads. They have been coming in early to see me and stuff like that – those guys have been world-class. That helps breed a commitment to excellence.
“It was great to be back out there. I have played only five games for this club in two years and they stuck with me through my achilles. I got a contract extension while I was out with a ruptured achilles. They put a lot of faith in me, so I was desperate to get back and repay them and do whatever I can to contribute to winning.”
Watson scored the second of Bath’s six tries, ending a run of five defeats in all competitions and elevating them to seventh in the Premiership. And the 26-year-old admits the club are fed up with finishing in the lower reaches of the table.
“We have to back it up next week and the week after that, because that is what it is all about. We are tired of coming sixth, seventh and eighth and want to do something better this year. Today was a step in the right direction but we need to win again next week [v Sale].
“Without disrespecting Saracens, whether they were in the position they were in, or they weren’t, we would definitely still be aiming for top four. I don’t think what’s going on with them has any bearing or influence on how we approach the game or how we do things. It has definitely been a goal for us from the start of the season. We will definitely continue to work towards that.”
Not that goals for 2020 have been at the forefront of Watson’s mind for England or Bath as he recovered from his latest injury setback.
“To be honest with you, I haven’t thought about 2020 yet. I just wanted to get playing for Bath, first of all; it is back to the drawing board for me, I’ll continue to work hard and try and get better in every training session, and we’ll see what happens after that. I am not too worried about anything else. We have got two more Premiership games now, then two Europe and one more Premiership. I’ll just take those, each game as it comes. I know you guys are probably tired of hearing that. That’s the way it is.”