Northampton Saints: Wilko link-up so exciting for Geraghty
Saints sensation Shane Geraghty says it would be a dream come true to line-up alongside Jonny Wilkinson for England on Saturday.
Geraghty has been a revelation since joining Northampton and his early season form is expected to be rewarded today when Martin Johnson names his team to take on Australia at Twickenham.
The Saints star has been dazzling at fly-half, but he is expected to line-up alongside boyhood hero Wilkinson at inside centre for the first of three November internationals.
Geraghty looks set to take injured Riki Flutey's place in an exciting new midfield line-up as Johnson looks to get a first win over a southern hemisphere side under his belt as England boss.
"As a teenager I always followed Jonny and dreamt of playing alongside him, so it would be a dream come true really," said Geraghty. "To represent England with him would be a fantastic opportunity."
The versatile 23-year-old, also believes that under the guidance of attack coach Brian Smith – his old London Irish boss – he can give England new options, with effectively two 10s on the pitch.
"It depends which way the coaches want you to play," said Geraghty. "Brian Smith leans towards a ball-playing number 12, which can help take a load off the shoulders of the number 10. If you've got someone who can help out, it takes the pressure off. I don't have any real preference, although I've been playing a lot at number 10 for Northampton.
"With Brian Smith you still get the freedom of when you play 10 at number 12.
"Saints are happy for me to play either, so it's good when coaches are open to giving you the option."
Since making an explosive England debut off the bench against France in 2007, Geraghty has won just two more caps in two years beset by injury.
A long-term hamstring injury eliminated Geraghty from 2007 World Cup contention, and a knee ligament strain ruled him out of the 2008 RBS 6 Nations Championship. He has also suffered a broken bone in one hand, and ankle problems hindered him at the start of 2008/09.
But this season his body has finally held together for a run of games and he is excited by working with Johnson.
"With Johnson you can see the passion in his eyes from when he was a player when he talks," said Geraghty.
"He has dealt well with the injury problems we have had and tried to look at it in a positive way and as an opportunity to bring in youngsters that might otherwise not have gotten a chance to play for England."
Geraghty has talked how he has had to grow-up after moving away from London Irish and his long time mentor Mike Catt. It left some bad blood at the Madjeski, but Geraghty feels it was for the best.
"I think the Saints move was almost certainly the catalyst for my England call-up," he added. "The coaches at Northampton have really made me knuckle down and concentrate on my game and it has definitely paid off.
"London Irish had had a good four and a half to five years and I just felt I needed a change.
"I wanted something different and a new challenge in life. A few people thought there were other reasons for the move, but I can assure them there weren’t, it was just about making that change.
“There was a slight temptation during the time when I was looking for a change to go to France. I did consider it but I thought, at that time in my career, it wouldn’t have been the right choice for me.”
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Weather for Northampton
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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