DAVA ATTWOOD could have been competing at the London Olympics next year if he had chosen a different path – but he has no regrets as he chases his Rugby World Cup dream.

The 24-year-old lock was the England under-16 discus champion while he was a pupil at the Winterbourne International Academy, before he suffered a serious injury and decided to concentrate on rugby.

”At the time it wasn’t really an optional choice,” he said.

“I tore a cartilage in my knee and I couldn’t train and I was at that age where I had to train all the time to step up to senior level and if you miss out you never get that ground back.

“Thankfully that’s the way it worked out because if I had made it as a discus thrower I wouldn’t be where I am now.

“I’ve still got a lot of friends who do athletics and it would be amazing to be an Olympian.

“I think there’s something about the heritage of the Olympics that not even World Cup football comes close to, so it would be amazing to be an Olympian, but for me at the moment the World Cup is the dream.”

Attwood played the full 80 minutes for England Saxons in their 41-14 Churchill Cup win over Tonga at Kingsholm on Sunday but sustained a knee injury and will miss the final against Canada on Saturday.

Although he missed out on the Six Nations after receiving a nine week ban for stamping, he spent time with Martin Johnson’s squad during that series and is still in with a shout of making the squad – which is announced next Monday – for the World Cup in New Zealand in September.

Only defeat against Ireland in the final game prevented England from winning the Grand Slam, but Attwood does not think that was necessarily a bad thing.

“I think the World Cup will be an interesting one,” he said.

”The Six Nations was a great campaign and the first time we were overall winners for eight years.

“Although they missed out on the Grand Slam I think that might be a good thing because they’re a young team putting things together and it’s sometimes good to take a peg down and say you’re not the finished article yet.”

Away from international rugby, Attwood is getting ready for a change of scenery at club level next season.

He described his decision to leave Gloucester as ‘difficult’ but with the Kingsholm club sticking to their rigid pay structure, Attwood admitted the greater security on offer at Bath was a significant factor.

He said: “You never want to say that it comes down to money, but it’s a career at the end of the day and you want what’s fair for you and allows you to do things you want to do so there wasn’t that offer for me at Gloucester.

“I’ve just bought a house which has been a big aspiration for me, so I’m excited about that and moving properly to the area.

“There are a lot of great things happening at (Bath) rugby club – changes in playing personnel, coaching staff, and a facilities overhaul, so I’m really looking forward to being a part of that.”