Nick Schonert: England recognition gives Worcester Warriors prop 'taste' for success

Nick Schonert appeared in an England shirt for the first time in the end-of-season friendly with the Barbarians

Worcester Warriors forward Nick Schonert experienced the highlight of his career when he played for England against the Barbarians in front of a capacity Twickenham crowd in May.

The 26-year-old South Africa-born prop then missed out on selection for this summer's tour to his home country.

But it was the second season running that he ended the campaign in head coach Eddie Jones' thoughts - and that helps.

"It's what people thrive on. Such an honour and privilege - the chance to play in front of 70,000 at Twickenham," Schonert told BBC Sport.

Schonert's passage to the very edge of the international ranks, the prospect of a first England cap, has not been helped by injuries.

The ankle injury he sustained just 20 seconds into last season's first home game against Wasps kept him out for two months, and then again for a further six weeks when he came back too early and aggravated it.

"I was trying to tackle Nathan Hughes and I just had had my ankle in the wrong position," he said. "It was totally freakish.

"I just did a couple of ligaments and was lucky I didn't do any bone, but it was still quite a tough one to heal.

"It took me out for eight weeks, and then I came back a bit soon which was my own fault but we changed a few strapping procedures and I've been sound ever since."

Worcester's Nick Schonert will hope for a happier outcome on the opening day against Wasps, having last season been carried off with an ankle injury sustained in the very first minute

Perhaps his main frustration came in the summer of 2017, however, when he was selected for England's end-of-season tour to Argentina but had to withdraw after aggravating a hand injury.

"I picked it up in the second last game of the season - a ruptured tendon in my hand," Schonert continued.

"Eddie Jones said I was to stay part of the squad and that we'd make the decision at the last minute.

"I had to pull myself out in the end and had to head home, but it's given me a taste for it, and then I was lucky enough to get to play against the Barbarians."

• Worcester's Te'o considered future over injuries

'Could you have seen us beating Exeter away?'

If playing for England in front of a full house at Twickenham when it really matters is top of Schonert's list of ambitions, what about the thought of one day playing there in May with Worcester?

This will be their 13th season in the Premiership and only in the first two of those previous 12 top flight seasons, when they came ninth and eighth in 2005 and 2006 respectively, have they finished higher than 10th.

"I can see us there, playing in front of those sort of crowds, for sure," insisted Schonert. "Three seasons ago, could you have seen us beating Exeter away?"

Not only did the annoyingly inconsistent Warriors beat the champions on home soil - Worcester's first Premiership win at Exeter's Sandy Park fortress - with a superbly drilled defensive plan, they also ran in five tries to win for the first time at Leicester.

Schonert was part of both memorable displays, but he is not the only one at the club to think that such standards should be the norm and not one-off highlights.

"It might just be about finding the consistency," he said. "We have some great players. I really believe we have something and that we're a growing Premiership side. I'd certainly rather be part of a growing side than a declining side."

Off the field, there is still an air of uncertainty around Sixways as owner Greg Allen is still looking to sell the club, while big players such as England centre Ben Te'o and Wales wing Josh Adams are starting the final year of their respective deals and are highly likely to move on at season's end.

But the retention of popular veteran South African Alan Solomons as director of rugby has had an unmistakably galvanising effect on the playing staff at least, before the season opener at home to Wasps on 1 September.

"You've got to look at the bigger picture," said Schonert. "There's a lot of continuity for the first time in a long time.

"I see this club going places. There is a big emphasis on playing well, being competitive and hard to play against.

"It's my fifth pre-season. I feel part of the furniture. There's a great vibe amongst players as we've had a great pre-season. Everyone is really confident and there's no better way than to start than against Wasps."