Friday 17 November 2017 08:53, UK
England's Jonny May has played down the fact that he clocked an average speed faster than Usain Bolt in a 40-metre sprint test.
May has been restored to the starting XV for Saturday's visit of the Wallabies to Twickenham, live on Sky Sports Action, after overcoming the hamstring strain that forced him to miss the 21-8 win against Argentina.
Despite having just recovered from the injury, May set a new personal best top speed of 10.49 metres per second, recorded by GPS on grass five days ago, and a highest vertical jump of 71cm.
The Leicester wing forms a rapid back three alongside Anthony Watson and Elliot Daly - possibly the fastest trio fielded by England - and they have been given the license to counter-attack by Eddie Jones.
"I was gobsmacked that I did it really because I had just tweaked my hammy the week before," May said.
"It was a 40 or 50-metre sprint. It was a rehab run. I was shocked. I didn't think I would go anywhere that fast. I knew I had to run flat out to test the hamstring."
But when quizzed as to whether he was the quickest of the England backs, May told Sky Sports News: "I don't know about that. We all like to try and be as fast as we can be."
While May's speed is impressive in rugby terms, he distances himself from comparisons with Olympic sprinters.
"It's just a different discipline because with rugby when you sprint you go flat out and let it all go," May said.
"The sprinters are trained to build into a run and hit speeds that we couldn't get near. But those guys don't have to hit rucks and catch high balls.
"It's almost like an OCD routine. I've always done stretching from my teenage years. The more you train, the more you need to look after your body and respect it.
"I'd say I spend at least three or four times as much time warming up and warming down as I do on the training pitch."
