Leroy Houston thanks Bath team-mates after Australia debut
Sunday 9 October 2016 13:43, UK
Leroy Houston has paid tribute to his Bath team-mates for helping him go from "down in the dumps" to a fully-fledged Test star.
The flanker won his first Test cap as Australia edged out Argentina 33-21 at Twickenham in Saturday's Rugby Championship finale.
The 29-year-old became Wallaby No 901 in a second-half cameo, pulling on Australia's green and gold for the first time in almost 11 years.
Houston admitted he had feared his one appearance for Australia A against the French Barbarians in 2005 would prove his sole run-out for his country.
"It's an amazing feeling to become a Wallaby," said Houston, who will join Queensland Reds for the next Super Rugby season.
"I've aspired to this for a long time and honestly in my career I didn't think I'd get to this level.
"It's been a hard journey, but I'm so happy to get the chance to run out with Quade Cooper and Michael Hooper. These guys are going to be legends of the game forever."
Houston's Bath team-mates Matt Banahan, Matt Garvey and Kane Palma-Newport headed to Twickenham to support the bruising loose-forward.
"It was awesome to see Matt Banahan waiting there when we arrived," Houston said.
"I asked those boys if they could come down and they jumped at the chance. It was not just Matt Banahan. It was Matt Garvey and Kane Palma-Newport, too.
"I asked them if they could come down and see me and that was unbelievable.
"These boys are the reason I'm here. If I hadn't played for Bath, and played to my potential, with those guys around me, helping me, I wouldn't be here today, so I'm very thankful to them for that.
"When I left Australia to play club rugby in France, that was the first time I ever questioned whether I was good enough to play professional rugby.
"To go from being in that frame of mind to running out at Twickenham to play Argentina for the Wallabies, that's why I've got such a big smile on my face.
"I was down in the dumps, and a lot of boys go through it, but look what came of it."
