Saturday 10 January 2015 19:42, UK
Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea believes that Nick Easter should play a role in England's 2015 World Cup campaign.
Easter celebrated his 250th appearance for the London club with a man of the match performance in Saturday's 32-12 Aviva Premiership victory over Leicester at Twickenham Stoop.
The 36-year-old won the last of his 47 caps at the 2011 World Cup but O'Shea added his voice to the chorus of approval after watching Easter play a role in three of Quins' four tries, including an outstanding off-load to set up Danny Care.
"I've stopped speaking to (England head coach) Stuart Lancaster about Nick because I'm banging..... Nick wants to play for England," said O'Shea, who confirmed Easter has signed a two-year contract extension.
"Look at that performance against Leicester and think about the Leinster games when he played against Jamie Heaslip.
"I know Stuart and we had a good, long chat about it last year. Stuart's worry has always been, 'will he get to the World Cup with the ability to play at that intensity and pace?'.
"If he gets to the end of the season and he's still playing like that, England might take a look at him. No doubt in a few months' time he will more than ready.
"I've been very fortunate to have Nick at the club while I've been here. He's a warrior, a rugby player, and while he may be old school in some ways – he challenges – he plays rugby.
"He plays at a level very few people can – that offload wasn't just world class, it was out of this world. He tries things and never goes into his shell. The harder the going gets and the more we're under pressure, the better he plays.
"I said to him four years ago I'd stop playing him every week, but I can't stop playing him every week.”
