Miles Mantella bounces back from pain of rejection

Being released by a Premiership club can be a devastating blow for a young player – but pace ace Miles Mantella is taking it all in his stride.
The 21-year-old winger, deemed surplus to requirements by Harlequins during the summer, is enjoying life in the fast lane a couple of miles up the A316 with Championship side London Scottish.
The move was a natural after he spent last season playing with the Exiles on a dual registration loan deal but Mantella believes taking a step down as a means to an end.
He has certainly not given up on his Premiership ambitions and sees regular rugby with Scottish as the platform to establish himself and bounce back.
Far from feeling sorry for himself, he is more than happy to let his tries do the talking and he made a big statement with his second-half hat-trick – the first since his schooldays at Millfield – in last weekend's 27-6 upset victory over Nottingham.
“You are always going to be disappointed to get released,” he admitted. “But hopefully it will work out for the better.
“I'm really enjoying it and getting regular rugby which is important at my age – and we're going well too.
“I was obviously disappointed to leave Quins, it's a great place. But I was there for three years, learned a lot so I'm hoping to apply that down here.”
A first-half try-saving interception and run out of defence when he was totally isolated, kept Scottish on level terms when Nottingham had them on the rack in the first half last weekend and that was, arguably, as important as the devastating finishing which won the match in the second half.
The dual contribution was recognised by acting head coach James Buckland, in charge following Simon Amor's departure to become England Sevens coach.
“Miles is actually one of our main men defensively but he is our x-factor as well when he gets his hands on the ball,” said Buckland.
The hat-trick against Nottingham took his tally to five from the opening three league matches of the season and Mantella has no doubts that “it was the right move”.
He said: “I knew the boys, knew the set-up and knew that London Scottish want to push on and move forward so it's one of the best clubs to be at in the Championship.”
Mantella is determined to revive his career and become a Premiership player. “That's the plan, everyone wants to keep moving up,” he said, without ruled out doing that with London Scottish.
It would be a big call for a club who only moved up from National League One two seasons ago as they would need to both win the Championship title and find a new ground which meets the criteria for Premiership rugby. But fellow exiles London Welsh, playing at Old Deer Park next door to the Athletic Ground, which Scottish share with Richmond, did it two years ago – albeit for a season – and Mantella added: “This club wants to go somewhere.
“Pushing on was a big step up from last year so we'll just keep going and see where it takes us.”
MIKE SINCLAIR