Ellis enjoys working with old adversary Dawson

England’s Harry Ellis is relishing the chance to be working alongside – rather than in the face of – his scrum-half rival Matt Dawson.

The pair enjoyed some fiery confrontations earlier this year when Leicester took on Wasps in two titanic Heineken Cup ties.

But they are now team-mates in the same camp and their close relationship serves as a constant reminder to Ellis that he is a long way from making the England number nine jersey his own.

“It has been highly competitive but it is nice to be working alongside the other guys, not against them,” said Ellis, 22, who will start his third consecutive RBS 6 Nations game when England take on Italy.

“We are fighting for the same team, the same corner and we are just trying to help each other along.

“It has been great to work with Daws for the last couple of weeks and the same with Andy Gomarsall when he is here. You learn from these players.

“You play against these quality players every week, and then to be in the same camp and working alongside them is the special thing about being involved with England. You are constantly learning.”

Ellis and Dawson might be at differing ends of their international careers - five England caps to 68 plus five for the British & Irish Lions and a World Cup winners’ medal – but they are similarly headstrong players.

They clashed at the Causeway Stadium, where Ellis seemed bent on winding Dawson up as Leicester secured their first of two dramatic European victories over Wasps.

But Ellis insisted their joint determination for England to succeed outweighs anything that might have gone on before.

“It’s not at all difficult. We are all English and whoever is playing you totally support them. You only want them to do well,” said Ellis.

“There is rivalry, there is competitiveness and we will continue to keep pushing each other on the training paddock but there is no bitterness.

“He is massively experienced and it is nice to be talking to a fellow scrum-half who has been there and done that. It is nice to be in the same room and chatting to him about rugby. The more I can learn from him about rugby the better.”

While Dawson is applying constant pressure from the bench, Gomarsall is stomping furiously around the west country, desperate to prove a point after being jettisoned from the Test squad.

The Gloucester scrum-half, who started England’s autumn internationals, feels harshly treated by coach Andy Robinson and declared he still has “unfinished business” with the national team.

Ellis continued: “You know the person behind you is pushing you as far as he can. It is a good rivalry and good competition. I am grateful to have the opportunity to keep my place and be selected.”