Flanker targets Saxons call-up

JAMIE Gibson has turned down the chance of winning a Blue in order to focus on professional rugby with London Irish.

The 21-year-old Oxford University flanker admitted it was a difficult choice – especially after missing out on the last two Varsity Matches due to injury.

But he hopes to nail down a regular starting spot with the Aviva Premiership club and retain his spot in the England Saxons squad.

Varsity Match rules state you cannot play club rugby in the term of the Twickenham clash, so Gibson had to choose one or the other.

“I’m not going to be playing in the Varsity Match,” said Gibson.

“It is one of those really hard things to weigh up and chose between the two.

“Because of the World Cup, London Irish require me and I hope to get back into the England Saxons squad.

“The way to do that is playing for London Irish.

“It is a tough choice, but one I would want to have to make.”

“Now I am going to have to come back as a postgraduate!,” he joked.

Gibson added: “I’m going to stay involved with the university rugby. I live with a couple of the guys and hope to do some coaching.”

The classics student hopes to become first-choice in the No 7 shirt for Irish and impress enough to earn more Saxons caps, having made his debut this summer.

In the longer term, Gibson would love to be involved with the senior England side.

“That’s definitely the aim,” he said. “You never know what is going to happen.

“It would be great to play in the World Cup in four years’ time, especially as it is in England.”

Gibson hopes to be involved in Irish’s home Premiership clash with Worcester Warriors on Sunday.

On the university front, he has some ‘collections’ exams to tackle, with term beginning in earnest next week “Fortunately, both the rugby and the classics are quite structured,” he added.

“They are both focused on a week-to-week basis. You can work things around each other.”