Thompson retains England ambition

Hooker Steve Thompson still has hopes of a return to the England team, less than a year after a serious neck injury forced him to retire.

Thompson announced last spring that his career was over, after he hurt his neck playing for Northampton against Biarritz in January.

A World Cup-winner with England in 2003, he became coach of Brive.

But after medical advice, the 29-year-old is playing for his club again – and is not ruling out an England recall after figuring as a substitute for Brive against Connacht in the European Challenge Cup at the weekend.

“I didn’t think I was going to be ready to play until December,” he told Eurosport.

“I thought I might get on for 10 minutes – but I played for over an hour.

“I’d more or less accepted that I wasn’t going to play again, so it’s great to be back.

“I never retired from international rugby – and if the opportunity arises to play for England again I’d