Tom Guest Column  RSS feed | About

AS breakthrough seasons go, this year could not have been much better for Worcester Warriors' flying wing Miles Benjamin.

The 19-year-old from Solihull has scorched over the whitewash no less than 12 times this term, including five scores in his last five Guinness Premiership outings.

England under 20 star Benjamin is rapidly building a reputation as one of the hottest properties in English rugby and, on current form, full international hounors will not be far away.

Therefore, it has to be said, Mike Ruddock persuading the speedster to put pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension in January could be one of the most important things the Welshman has achieved in his debut season as Warriors' director of rugby.

Before Benjamin, who is equally blessed with strength and pace, committed his immediate future to the Sixways club, other Premiership sides made tentative enquiries about his availability and, if he had not extended his deal, it is now almost certain he would have been off to a top four outfit this summer.

Although the jet-heeled youngster sensibly remains coy about what the future holds for him after those two years expire, he is fully committed to - and excited about - the here and now at Worcester.

He said: "I am feeling really positive about my rugby. I am at a club with lots of ambition and I want to achieve things here within a group of like-minded people. We want to be in the top half of the table - and not just for a while and then fade away. We want to be consistent enough to stay up there for the whole season.

"We are trying to get that consistency and, fingers crossed, we could even be playing in the Heineken Cup.

"If that was the case, we would want to do ourselves justice in that competition too.

"We believe we can compete with the best teams in England and achieve trophies. Hopefully, in a couple of seasons, we can challenge for the Guinness Premiership title.

"I was definitely excited to extend my contract with Worcester. As a professional sportsman, you want some degree of security, so it was nice to sign a two-year deal.

"Before I had signed, I heard murmerings from other clubs who were interested in me, but Worcester have been good to me. They nurtured me through my injury problems and I have grown up with a lot of the guys who are also here.

"There are certainly no other clubs I'd want to play for in the next couple of years.

"I'm not going to stick my head above the parapet and say I'll be at Worcester for all of my career, but I am definitely enjoying life at here."

Talented sportsman Benjamin, who has represented the West Midlands at athletics and waterpolo as well as playing cricket for Warwickshire, has turned out for England at under 18, 19 and 20 level and now wants to make the step up to the full internaional stage.

He added: "I am focusing on playing for Worcester - we want to be challenging for trophies every year. I want to keep on top of my club form and, if I can do that, England will come when the time is right. I want to try and achieve as much as I can at club level and get the recognition that goes with that.

"Playing for the full England team is certainly an ambition of mine. When you start out in rugby, you dream of playing at the highest level some day and I hope to progress towards that goal.

"I've loved playing at the age levels for England and, while representing Worcester is my bread and butter, nothing could replace the feeling of playing for your country."

9:15am Friday 25th April 2008

Print   Email this   Comment