Haskell: No Best grudge

Wasps flanker keen to move on from eye-gouging incident

Last updated: 9th October 2008

Haskell: No grudges

Life is too short to worry about these things and hold a grudge. I am a pretty positive person.

James Haskell
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Wasps flanker James Haskell insists he holds no grudges despite fearing for his sight after being eye-gouged by Northampton's Neil Best.

The 23-year-old was left feeling physically sick after he suffered a corneal abrasion when Best made contact with his eye on September 20.

Best pleaded guilty to the offence and was subsequently banned for 18 weeks by a RFU disciplinary committee.

However, despite his vision still not being 100 per cent three weeks after the incident, Haskell just wants to put the incident behind him.

Haskell, who is hoping Wasps can kick-start their season against Castres in the Heineken Cup on Sunday, said: "I was quite concerned. When an eye specialist tells you it might be permanent, and for two days you are effectively completely blind because you can't open one eye when the other one is so sore, it was worrying.

"I can read the bottom line of the eye test machine although it is not perfect yet.

"If I had lost my sight it would have been a different issue - but once the panel had handed out the punishment, as far as I was concerned that was it.

"You get caught, you get punished and it is the end of the story.

Positive

"Life is too short to worry about these things and hold a grudge. I am a pretty positive person."

Wasps have endured a torrid start to the season - winning just once in the league.

However, Haskell believes the visit of Castres to Adams Park will give them the chance to find the winning formula.

Haskell said: "This is an opportunity to win for Wasps and get the Heineken Cup started properly.

"At the moment nothing else matters. It is about getting things right for Wasps because we are not used to losing. We hate it and we want to rectify the situation.

"Castres are a very good team. We are training as hard as we can.

"We have left no stone unturned. It has been a pretty intense week so we will be flying on Sunday."