Tuesday 27 January 2015 18:20, UK
Harlequins No 8 Nick Easter is 'buzzing' to have been recalled by England ahead of the Six Nations campaign.
The 34-year-old has not played for England since the 2011 World Cup but having excelled at club level since, has finally earned his first call-up from Stuart Lancaster amid a host of injuries to the likes of flanker Tom Wood and locks Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes and Geoff Parling.
Speaking from the training camp, Easter told Sky Sports News: "It's like the first day of boarding school again. I'm buzzing to be back when it was suggested I might be involved. It's better than making my debut, really, getting called up again. It does feel a bit like that.
"It all comes back to you, the familiarity of everything. There've been a few changes to the hotel and the training facilities. It's been three and a half years but it doesn't feel like that, although there are differences in the squad make-up and the coaching make-up.
"I never gave up hope but I didn't think that I'd be there. I booked a holiday to the Caribbean which has now been put on ice! I'm buzzing though.
I never gave up hope but I didn't think that I'd be there. I booked a holiday to the Caribbean which has now been put on ice! I'm buzzing though.
"Stuart came down two Thursdays ago, spoke with Conor about me and a few other Quins boys. Conor told me Stuart wanted to meet me and was quite positive.
"He then texted me at asked me to meet him at Ascot on Monday. I made sure I was early, had a 50-minute conversation with him and he explained the reasons I hadn't been in before, because he needed to blood all these youngsters.
"He said I was here on merit and welcome back. He didn't completely confirm it but then 'Wig' (England forwards coach Graham Rowntree) phoned me up on Tuesday and said: 'You're in.'"
Lancaster's men open their campaign with a trip to Wales on February 6.
