Recalled England centre Max Ojomoh discloses where his future lies in TV interview

In an interview with Sky Sports on the eve of his return to international duty with England, Max Ojomoh has ended months of speculation by revealing he has decided to re-sign with hometown club Bath.

Ojomoh, who is out of contract at the end of the season, had been looking at his options in France while he continued to be in the Test wilderness. But in the week that he was picked to start at 12 by Steve Borthwick for Saturday’s game against Japan, the 26-year-old put pen to paper on a new deal at The Rec.

“I was looking but I have re-signed at Bath in the last week, so I am there for the foreseeable. I am more than happy to stay for a long period of time,” he told Sky Sports.

“Obviously with the limited opportunities I have had over the last 10 months it was something (moving to France) that I had to weigh up.

“But at the end of the day something I want to do is represent my country, represent my city, and I think re-signing at Bath is the best thing for that.”

It is a year ago that Ojomoh won the last of his two England caps, winning the Player of the Match award against Argentina.

While England A honours have followed, Ojomoh was stuck on a cyle of being called up for senior training camps and then being sent back to his club.

“You know what, I have got kind of used to it. I think the good thing is when I am playing well, I am in the squad, and if I am not playing well, I don’t really expect to be in the squad, which is probably about right, I think.

“Obviously it gets frustrating at times but the good thing about rugby in England is there is always a game next week. I go back to Bath, where I love playing in front of my friends and family, and I get the opportunity to perform, which has brought me back, which is nice.”

Playing instinctively and with a smile on his face, the consensus was that Ojomoh might be the type of player that the data-driven Borthwick wanted.

And Ojomoh revealed that he was given some stats-based work-ons in a bid to try and get back in contention. “Try and increase my physicality as a defender and as an attacker, and look at those post-contact metres, which is something I have gone after. But, also, not forgetting what gets me here in the first place, which is probably my attacking game.”

Borthwick admitted in an interview on Thurasday that there are only five to seven slots available in his 33-man World Cup squad, and Ojomoh hopes the Japan game will give him a good base to press forward his claims.

“It’s probably time to put a marker down now that I have waited so long for an opportunity, I’ve got the chance now and it would be nice to put a stamp down, and hopefuly, start trending well before the World Cup.”