'I'm not going to pretend': Fraser Dingwall on getting dropped by England

Fraser Dingwall admits that being dropped by England for their final two Six Nations games hurt, but it has added fire to the belly as he looks to help Northampton Saints claim a place in the Champions Cup semi-finals for the third season running at Bath on Friday night.

The Cambridge-born Saints centre, 27, started England’s first three games but was dropped despite scoring a try against Ireland for the final two defeats against Italy and France.

He also crossed the whitewash in the Champions Cup win over Castres last weekend, and helping Saints win silverware in either the Champions Cup or Gallagher PREM can only help his cause for a recall in time for the Nations Championship this summer.

“I’m not going to pretend it doesn’t take an emotional toll and it doesn’t hurt, but you then have to be quick to get back onto moving forward and progressing. I think it’s definitely a little bit of personal motivation.

“I’m not going to sit here and say that not being included in squads and being left out is easy. Of course, it’s a challenge, but I think it’s something you just learn to navigate and deal with as you go through your career.

“I’ve missed out on selection several times across my career. Although it obviously hurts, I think it hurts more when you feel like you haven’t been able to deliver on what you know you can.

“And you feel like you haven’t been able to put on the pitch everything that you are capable of, and that was my frustration from the Six Nations. I didn’t feel like I had probably delivered on what I could bring to the team.

“I was disappointed to come out of the side for those final two games, but also it was a disappointing Six Nations as a whole for the squad, and something that a lot of us were frustrated by.

“And there’s definitely a bit of fire added into myself to try and kick on, but that is rugby, isn’t it? It’s full of those challenges and different setbacks in various ways. There are always these little obstacles throughout your career that test you,” he said.

Dingwall adds that he was given the chance to sit down with England boss Steve Borthwick after his axing and knows what he has to do to reclaim his place.

“We’re all given the opportunity to kind of sit down with coaches and get a clear understanding of what’s going on and where their heads are at. International rugby is incredibly competitive, so there’s always going to be opposition.

“I’ve been on both sides of that boat, where I’ve been someone who’s jumped in when someone else may not have necessarily performed how they’ve wanted to.

“It’s important to always be level with these things and kind of get a good understanding of where you’re at, and then all we can do is try and get better at rugby, can’t you?” he added.