Ellis too busy in gym to watch rugby final

A TOP England international described to local children just what it takes to get to the top of his profession yesterday - and it means certain sacrifices. During the Ashburton Evening with Harry Ellis, the Leicester Tigers scrum-half was asked whether he felt Mark Cueto's disallowed score in the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa was a try.

'To be honest, I didn't really watch the final because I was in the gym, so I cannot really comment,' was his answer and it was met with initial laughter, until he insisted, 'it's true'.

Ellis is currently in rehabilitation following a knee operation to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and there can be no disguising his desire to return to the heights he had reached before the injury.

'There was nothing I could do about it. Hopefully it makes me a better player and that I make the next one in four years.'

However, he admitted that he cannot afford to look too far ahead and think about international representation yet.

'I cannot really concentrate on that at all. Obviously, you love to play for your country but you have to play well for your club to get a look in for England.

'My aim is to get fit and get back in the Leicester team, which is tough enough in itself,' Ellis said.

Before the question and answer session, which also involved the Tigers community manager Scott Clarke and club vice-president Chris Everard, Ellis had taken an hour scrum-half clinic which attracted nearly a couple of dozen local players.

One was Guernsey Rugby Club talisman and number eight Jim Regnard, who revealed that he had learnt one or two tricks of the trade of play between his position and the scrum-half.

That will be something to watch out for on Saturday at Foote's Lane when the green-and-whites take on Tottonians.