Scabs back in the first team

DAN SCARBROUGH admits he was nervous about making his long awaited comeback from injury against Harlequins on Sunday.

The 30-year-old replaced concussed wing Francisco Leonelli shortly before half time for his first start since suffering medial knee ligament damage in the home defeat to Gloucester at the start of the season.

And despite his return coinciding with another loss at Vicarage Road the Bradford-born flyer is just glad to be back playing.

"It was a relief to get back out there although it was not the ideal way to come into the team via someone's misfortune," he said. "It was my first real big test since overcoming the injury.

"I've had a bit of game time these past few weeks and I now feel ready. I've proven I am back and raring to go and want to be involved this weekend at London Irish."

Scarbrough stepped up his fitness in a Sarries A game and National One match for London Welsh recently, yet he still felt slightly daunted at tasting his first senior action for five months.

"I had quite a few pre-match nerves and it was a frustrating time of the game to come on as the result wasn't going our way," he added. "I knew I had to get in there, do my best and not try anything flash."

Scarbrough would not have been thrust into the heat of the battle so soon had Leonelli and Sarries boss Alan Gaffney got their way. After a brief examination while Quins were looting their second try, Sarries team doctor Mark Curtin declared Leonelli fit to return. Referee Tony Spreadbury, however, disagreed and Scarbrough breezed onto the pitch.

"I think it might have been the correct decision to take him off," said Scarbrough. "Francisco took a bad bang on the head. The next thing I saw he was wrestling with the physios."

Back-to-back defeats has seen the Men in Black drop a place to fifth in the Premiership with Quins, Wasps and Irish fast closing the gap. However, Scarbrough beleives the squad is good enough to secure a play-off spot for the second year running.

"That is going to be tough but if we're going to compete yearly we've got to step things up," he added. "It was a very frustrating evening against Quins but you don't become a bad team overnight. I've been watching from the sidelines for five months wondering if I would ever get back into the team because of how the guys were playing.

"But over the last few weeks we've had a bit of a dip, which happens in rugby. It's hard to maintain form week in, week out."

Scarbrough, who was not involved in the A team's 31-24 win at Bath last night is vyving for a starting spot at Reading's Madejski Stadium on Saturday, preferably ahead of full-back Brent Russell.

"I want the 15 shirt but I also enjoy playing on the wing. I'll play anywhere. My first goal is to secure a spot in the first team while the second is to play consistently well."

11:47am Tuesday 26th February 2008

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