 Shaw confirmed his class with the Lions in South Africa |
Veteran lock Simon Shaw hopes to prove his fitness for England's autumn Tests and has moved to clarify his future amid reports of a move to South Africa. The 36-year-old expects to resume running next week as he bids to shake off a stress reaction in his left foot. If fit, he may play in Wasps' Challenge Cup match in Rome on 17 October. As for reports indicating he might move to the Golden Lions in South Africa, Shaw said he wanted to help Wasps "right the wrongs of last season". He told BBC Sport: "I am under contract for this season and next. I did get wind of reports that they were interested in signing me, but no-one approached me officially about it. "I met lots of people in South Africa [when he was with the British and Irish Lions in the summer] who asked me if I would ever be interested in playing over there. "My response was 'why wouldn't you be? It's such a great country', but I also said I am probably a bit too old now."  | I am still in the England squad, and I have always said I don't want to play rugby unless I am playing at the top level |
Instead, Shaw is focused on getting himself fit after a frustrating period following his return from the Lions tour, where he became the oldest player to make his Test debut for the British Isles side, starring in the second Test in Pretoria. After a two-week holiday in Malta, he returned to training a month after the tour but immediately experienced pain in his left foot. A stress reaction in his fourth metatarsal - the stage before a stress fracture, where the bone fills with blood and becomes more brittle - was diagnosed and he was put on a non weight-bearing programme. But when he resumed gradual jogging two weeks later, he found he was back to square one with the same problem. "It could have happened on the tour, or it could have been a change of footwear, going from wearing trainers and boots for six weeks to sandals on the beach," said Shaw. | 606: DEBATE |
"Initially, I thought the extra rest was not such a bad thing, but I am getting frustrated now, especially with the autumn internationals getting close. "I am feeling really good. I have been training pretty hard every day apart from running. I am fed up with the pool and the punch bag and the weights! "I have never spent so long in the gym. Normally when I go week to week, there are some exercises that I can't do, so it makes a change for me to be fit and able to do a proper weights session. I have to be careful I don't get too big!" The 6ft 7in giant admits "it may or may not be too early" to return to action in Rome next weekend. "It would be an ideal opportunity to get 20 minutes if possible," he said. "But rugby is not the sort of game you can ease yourself back into. You have to be at full pelt." | For me this year is about righting the wrongs of last season for the club |
If not, Shaw will have just two Guinness Premiership games - away to Gloucester on 24 October and home to Leeds on 31 October - to prove his fitness before England's autumn series, starting against Australia on 7 November. Even if he is unable to play a full part in those, Shaw has no thoughts about leaving the international scene, 13 years after his Test debut. "I am still in the England squad, and I have always said I don't want to play rugby unless I am playing at the top level," he added. "The top level for me means still trying to go for an England spot. "The only thing I worry about is not wanting to do it anymore if I am feeling a bit frail. But I have a two-year contract with Wasps and that is as far as I look. "Then again, someone said to me the other day that the 2011 World Cup is only round the corner and I thought 'hmm, maybe'. "But, for me, this year is about righting the wrongs of last season for the club. I didn't think we were as bad as everyone made out. It was quite frustrating. "We beat Leicester twice - and they went on to win the Premiership title - and we beat Leinster - and they went on to win the Heineken Cup. So we had the capability, we just didn't have it with the same level of consistency as in the past."
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