Denton: I had to quit Bath for Test dream

David Denton wants to wear the Scotland jersey again but as hard as it was to admit, he reckons it would have been almost impossible to achieve his goal had he stayed in Bath.
The 35-cap back rower had one year remaining on his contract at the Rec but he was not enjoying his rugby under Todd Blackadder whose vision of the back row roles did not tally with Denton’s.
Desperate to return to the international fold in November, Denton had to put his own ambitions first and after some frank discussions, his release from Bath was agreed.
The 27-year-old will turn out for Worcester under Gary Gold this season and, talking exclusively to The Rugby Paper, he said: “Bath didn’t play the style of rugby that suited me. Don’t get me wrong I believe they can be successful playing the way they do but it just doesn’t suit my skills.
“Todd wanted his back row to operate in the wider channels which suits guys like Taulupe Faletau and Zach Mercer. It was the same at the Crusaders with Kieran Read.
“I’m sure I became a better player trying to adapt to it but it wasn’t for me so we had very open and frank conversations and we decided it was in everyone’s interest that I looked elsewhere.
“I’d love to get back into the Scotland set up at the end of the day and I need to stick to what I’m good at and do that. I had to make a selfish decision and Gary Gold said everything I wanted to hear.
“We have the same vision with the back rowers carrying off the half-backs and that’s what I love doing. I haven’t played for Scotland in over a year now but being in Worcester will give me the best chance of doing that again.
“I’ve always stayed in touch with the coaches and I spoke to Gregor Townsend before making my decision and he thought it would be good for me.
“It’s good to know I’m still in the picture. I can’t tell you how excited I am to get to get back playing that very physical and abrasive style of rugby with Worcester.”
To add to his troubles, Denton spent the first half of the season sidelined with a nasty hamstring injury he picked up in the first game of the season.
Once he did get back on the field in the early New Year he found himself behind Faletau, Mercer and Paul Grant in the No.8 pecking order.
With Tom Ellis and Matt Garvey competing hard for the blindside berth, Denton’s game time was limited to just five starts in seven appearances.
Now a month into his pre-season at Sixways, Denton has rediscovered his mojo and is is desperate for the proper action to begin with only two weeks to go before the Warriors’ first pre-season outing.
He added: “The transition has been really easy and I’ve really enjoyed my first month at the club. There was a few guys I knew already in the Warriors squad like Marco Mama, who I have known since I was eight years old back in Zimbabwe.
“I want to play as much rugby as I can this season. I’d love to repay the faith Worcester have shown in me and I want to get a good run of games for them.
“I can’t wait for the season to get going. We got our first pre-season game on August 12 against Hartpury College and we’re hoping to hit the ground running.
“My body is fine. It’s taken some time to adapt to training on an artificial pitch but I’m fitter than ever and I’m feeling really good about rugby right now.”
NICK VERDIER