Doran-Jones out to impress

England new-boy determined to take his chance

Last updated: 12th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Doran-Jones out to impress

Doran-Jones: Chance to shine

I have got to get my technical aspects right and take advice from the other senior boys, but if I get on I will just look to make the most of it, show what I am about and give it a good crack.

Paul Doran-Jones
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England newcomer Paul Doran-Jones insists he will "give it a good crack" if he comes on against Argentina on Saturday.

The 24-year-old was a surprise call-up to the England squad as their front-row crisis deepened in the build up to the Twickenham showdown with the Pumas.

And despite having only 266 minutes of Guinness Premiership experience under his belt since moving to Gloucester from London Welsh, Doran-Jones finds himself on the bench for the match.

With 10 props, including the likes of Phil Vickery, Andrew Sheridan and Julian White, all ruled out through injury or suspension, England's resources have been stretched.

However former Ireland Under-21 international Doran-Jones has been on England's radar for some time, with scrum coach Graham Rowntree having worked with him early in the season.

Advice

And Doran-Jones, a former school-mate of England number eight James Haskell at Wellington College, claims he will not be overawed by the occasion if he is called upon.

"Graham picked up with me early in the season and said he liked what I was doing and that there were a few technical aspects to take it forward but that I was in their plans," said Doran-Jones.

"I want to test myself against the best in the world.

"I have got to get my technical aspects right and take advice from the other senior boys, but if I get on I will just look to make the most of it, show what I am about and give it a good crack."

Doran-Jones had a number of offers from clubs in the summer, including from Wasps, however the chance to learn from All Blacks prop Greg Somerville was too good to turn down.

"I just wanted to learn as much as I could from Greg Somerville, do my apprenticeship if you like, and try to nail down a first team position at Gloucester," he added.