Winterbourne rugby star drives for regular Bristol place

8:06am Thursday 8th May 2008

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DAVID Attwood believes next season will be a make-or-break year for him as he tries to cement his place in Bristol's second row.

The 21 year-old from Winterbourne Down is currently in his third and final year of a Physics and Philosophy degree at Bristol University and he believes it has hindered his progression within Richard Hill's squad.

The ex-Ridings High School pupil fully expects to become an integral part of the senior set-up next season and he identifies how he can make it into the starting XV.

He said: "I finish my degree in the summer and the main objective for me next season is to transform physically."

He added: "With the way it is working out with the players that are going to be at the club, it's very likely that I will get some senior rugby.

"Next season I want to be playing senior rugby and I'd like to start at least ten to 15 games at Bristol and my key priority is to get amazingly fit."

Although Attwood has not been playing week-in week-out for Bristol he has still gained international recognition by being called up for the England Saxons and it came as a shock for the 6ft 6in lock.

"Being called up to England Saxons was brilliant," he said.

"I had no idea that I had been selected for the Saxons. I got a phone call on the Friday afternoon from Duncan Wood the press officer at Bristol who was just updating my personal profile, and he said that Steve Bates had phoned to select me for the Saxons.

"I was completely knocked off my feet, I didn't know what to think."

He added: "It was something I had on the agenda for next season when I was full time at Bristol to try and be selected for the Saxons, and maybe an Italy game, but to get it this season was really good news for me."

It has been a huge rise for Attwood who started playing rugby at the age of eight for local rugby side Frampton Cotterell.

He recalls: "There was a friend at primary school whose mum was the team manager at Frampton Cotterell and he persuaded me to go and play with him because I was a bit of a lump."

"My first game was against Keynsham and the first thing I did was slide tackle someone, and I was being threatened with a sending off. Our team manager came over and argued my case that I had never played before and luckily I stayed on the pitch but it was a game I thoroughly enjoyed."

At the age of 13 Attwood had a taste of the big time when he was part of the Ridings High School who became national champions at Twickenham in 1999.

"At Twickenham I got a taste for the celebrity aspect of sport and I saw the side of rugby that people achieve when they are successful and it was quite a big motivation.

"After that there was definitely a vested interest in furthering my aspirations, playing in front of 30,000 people on a big occasion.

"It gave me the impression that sport really matters and it was one of the keen motivators for me."

Attwood had his first taste of adult rugby when he was 17 with Dings Crusaders in National Three South where he was coached by ex-Bristol points machine Phil Cue.

"Phil Cue was a big help as he conveyed my dedication for rugby and encouraged me into pushing myself to the limit."

He then made his much-anticipated debut in a Powergen Cup game against local rivals Bath at The Memorial Stadium and it was a moment he holds close to his heart.

Attwood said: "It was really good fun and it gave me a big adrenaline rush."

"To see myself playing against two English Internationals in Steve Borthwick and Danny Grewcock gave me a sense in that I've made it."

Over the last two years Attwood has been on the fringes of the first team squad but next season he hopes to be ever present in the side and he wants to gain more international acknowledgement.

He concluded: "I fully intend to play international World Cup rugby for England."