Back from hell

By Ed King

It was a bit of a surprise to find myself in the squad Peter Richards

England's infamous 1998 'Tour of Hell' Down Under claimed many casualties, including, the-then 20-year-old Peter Richards.

On the field the team was stacking up record defeats, and off it discipline among the players was crumbling.

Sampling the nightlife in Sydney and Wellington proved more alluring than training to some of the younger members of the touring party - and coach Clive Woodward never forgave them.

Richards was one of many never selected again for another England squad as Woodward sought to inject professionalism into the international set-up.

Seven years later, older and wiser for the experience, the scrum-half once again finds himself in an England squad, and determined this time to seize the moment.

"I didn't do myself any favours in 1998 due to my behaviour but I've come a long way since then - and you live and you learn," Richards told BBC Sport.

"I was hoping Andy might pick me but you never really know what the coaches are thinking.

"Any player in that squad has an opportunity to make the Test side, but it will be a challenge as Matt Dawson and Harry Ellis are both in good form."

Richards knows Dawson well from his spell at Wasps, where he was reserve scrum-half to both the England man and Wales' Rob Howley.

PETER RICHARDS FACTFILE Born: 10/3/1978 Height: 5ft 10" (1.76m) Weight: 14st 7lb (92kg) Past clubs: Bristol, Wasps Honours: England 1998 Tour, England 7s, A, U21, U19, U18

Dawson's possession of the number nine shirt prompted his move to Gloucester over the summer, but Richards credits both men with improving his game.

"Training with Rob Howley and Matt was a great experience, and I learnt so much off both of them," he said.

"Rob was such a different player to me, but the way he ran a game was second to none.

"I picked up when to pass, run or kick just by watching him in training, and the same goes for last season when I was playing centre for Wasps with Matt at scrum-half."

Injury problems last year meant the versatile Richards was pressed into service in the back-line, a role the England sevens star fulfilled with ease.

Not that the 27-year-old, who learnt his trade playing mini-rugby at Farnham RFC with a certain Jonny Wilkinson at fly-half, sees himself anywhere other than behind the scrum.

"Playing sevens for England has helped me develop new skills, and I enjoyed playing at centre last season but I think that my real talents lie at scrum-half," he said.

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"I spoke with Joe Lydon (England backs coach) about returning to half-back and having an opportunity with England, and it was something I was keen to follow up."

With Dawson entering the autumn of his illustrious career, the race to become England's scrum-half at the next World Cup appears wide open.

Harry Ellis has impressed but never totally convinced at international level, and Richards' powerful running game could give England a dimension they have been lacking.

For now he is happy to be back in the reckoning after seven years in the wilderness, and is focusing on performing well for Gloucester against the Ospreys in the Powergen Cup this weekend.

"International selection mostly comes from your club performances and I have a tough enough time getting in the Gloucester team so my form here is crucial," he said.

"We've only got to win five games in the cup to make it into Europe and with the Welsh teams it certainly makes it into a more fearsome competition than it has been in the past.

"A club like Gloucester needs to be winning silverware and this is definitely an opportunity to do just that."