Charlie Sharples : “Ducking out on England was my best career move”
The Gloucester flier won his first start during the Six Nations having been included in Stuart Lancaster‘s first Elite Player Squad in January and many thought the 22-year-old would have replaced David Strettle on the wing in the summer tour of South Africa.
But in consultation with Lancaster and Gloucester, Sharples opted to go under the knife to cure a long-standing shoulder problem in May.
Sharples is still five weeks away from returning to full fitness but has no regrets over missing the series against the Boks, which England lost 2-0.
“It is something that needed doing,” Sharples said. “I had been having problems with my shoulder for a few months, it was a bit of a mess.
“I needed to get it fixed and it was a shame I had to miss the England tour but from a personal perspective and from Gloucester’s perspective it was the right call.
“I have now got pre-season to build myself back up.
“It did cross my mind that I would be pushing myself down the order but I spoke to Stuart Lancaster and as far as we were both concerned it was a no-brainer. South Africa is an extremely physical tour and he did not want to be taking players out there who were 70-80 per cent.
“You only have to see how many players were injured out there to see what damage it could have done to me.
“It will have made it harder for me and I will have to fight to get my place back.
“Hopefully I will be fit for the start of the season and if I am playing well for Gloucester then Stuart will have a decision to make.”
While Sharples is still weeks away from contact training, he is already salivating at the prospect of working under Nigel Davies, the Cherry & Whites’ new director of rugby.
At the Scarlets, Davies built a reputation for developing young talent into seasoned internationals with the likes of George North, Rhys Priestland and Jonathan Davies bursting onto the scene with Wales under his guidance.
There’s no shortage of attacking potential for Davies to harness at Kingsholm in the Sharples, Freddie Burns, Henry Trinder and Jonny May – all 23 or under.
And Sharples is hoping Davies can repeat the formula that worked so well at Parc y Scarlets.
“You look at what he did at the Scarlets with George North, Jonathan Davies and Rhys Priestland and hopefully guys like myself Henry, Freddie and Jonny can benefit from that experience,” he said.
“We would hope he will enjoy working with us as well and can make us all better players.
“By the very nature of changes happening, there’s an excitement around the place.
“Everyone wants to get Gloucester back to where they should be – the way the last season ended was incredibly disappointing.
“But there’s a confidence here that we can turn that around and if we are all playing well then we will get the recognition we merit.”
DANIEL SCHOFIELD
