UNCAPPED Alfie Barbeary has returned to England training after a hamstring problem and is in contention for next Sunday's match away to Italy.
The Wasps back rower returned to full training earlier this week and forwards coach Matt Proudfoot is delighted with the impact the back rower is making.
He said: “Alfie had a slight hamstring problem, but he trained really well.
“He made a real impact, and he's been itching to play.
“It's good to see a young man come in and put his best foot forward for selection.”
Barbeary has endured nightmare injury problems at Wasps, missing most of this campaign through a series of hamstring injuries. But he returned to his club side in epic fashion in December, scoring on his return against Munster and dotting down for further tries against London Irish and Toulouse in recent weeks.
He scored a try in Wasps comeback win over Exeter yesterday and is now primed for his England debut.
What impresses the England coaching staff is Barbeary's skillset and the way he imposes himself on games.
Proudfoot added: “I think Alfie's got a unique skill set, he's a young man that refuses to say no. He just wants to go forward with the ball. He wants to inject himself into the game, he looks for opportunities to influence and there were a couple of opportunities where he really put himself in a good position.”
Barbeary faces stiff competition at No.8 from Sam Simmonds and Alex Dombrandt but with Italy winless in the competition since 2015, it may be the perfect opportunity for the 21-year-old to be unleashed.
