Injury tide turning in favour of Catt at last

Bath loosehead prop Nathan Catt is ready to end 18 months of injury hell by seizing the day to claim a first England cap.
Catt, who first came to prominence in the England U20s side that reached the 2008 Junior World Cup final, has seen his Test hopes continually dashed by injuries, as well as the presence of former Bath stars David Flatman, David Barnes and Paul James.
A senior tour to New Zealand in 2014 ended in uncapped disappointment. However, injuries to Red Rose regulars Mako Vunipola and Joe Marler look set finally to provide Catt with a route to the No.1 jersey he craves during the Six Nations.
Catt, a recent addition to England’s training squad, told The Rugby Paper: “I couldn’t have been happier with my call-up because I genuinely didn’t realise I was in the mix.
“I got on the England tour to New Zealand in 2014 without playing a Test and felt I wasn’t far away, but then I had a nightmare injury that sent me back to square one.
“First I had a neck operation which was planned, but three games back I dislocated my shoulder and sustained nerve damage which took me out for over a year. I’ve been injury-free since last summer, though, so hopefully I can kick-on.
“There are lots of quality looseheads playing well at the moment so I can’t control England selection; all I can do is play my best for Bath and work hard on and off the pitch, and if that’s enough to get me a place I’ll be ecstatic.”
Flatman recently declared Catt to be one of the best players he played with and another former Bath colleague, David Barnes, is convinced the athletic Bristolian is ready to be tested on the grandest stage of all.
Barnes told TRP: “Nathan was ready for England two years ago and he’s mentally equipped to make the step up. He offers a very strong set-piece, huge work-rate, handles and carries well and does a lot of the unseen work.
“Knowing some of the England coaches, they like people who do that work and if he gets in he could establish himself for a long time. At 29, he’s still got age on his side as a prop and certainly has a World Cup cycle in him.”
Catt has seen England U20s alumni like Alex Corbisiero, Courtney Lawes and Ben Youngs go on to enjoy stellar careers with England and the Lions, but has never lost faith in his own ability to cut it at the highest level.
He said: “It’s been cool to see those guys do some pretty good stuff but I’ve always been motivated to do it for myself.
“I’ve been injured at wrong moments and had guys like Flatman, Barnes and James in front of me at various times, but I’ve always been pretty determined and have just got on with things, knowing I could break through.”
Beyond England, Catt is hungry to be part of a Bath side that claims silverware for the first time since 2008. He added: “I haven’t won anything here yet and I know a lot of the boys are desperate to do so.
“We’ve had the disappointment of losing our last three league games, but we’re still confident this can be our season.”
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