Worcester fly-half Shane Drahm has urged England head coach Andy Robinson to give Andy Gomarsall another chance at international level after identifying the scrumhalf as the 'form half-back in the country'.
Having arrived at Sixways in the summer, Drahm and Gomarsall have inspired Worcester to consecutive Premiership wins and fifth place in the table and, following early teething problems, are finally gelling into one of the top pairings in the league.
That has prompted the Australian to laud his partner's performances and claim that Gomarsall should at least be in the Red Rose 22 for Saturday's match against the Wallabies.
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"He definitely still has something to offer England," Drahm said. "He seems to have been overlooked quite easily.
"I don't know what his relationship with them is, whether they are building to the next World Cup or whether he is in their shortterm plans, but he definitely has the ability to still be there. Especially if he keeps on doing what he has been over the past couple of weeks.
"The way he has been playing in that time, you would have to say that he is the form half-back in the country. Harry Ellis had a good year last season, but has not done a hell of a lot since."
That leaves Drahm's former Northampton teammate, Matt Dawson, in the way of a return to the No 9 shirt. Dawson, now with Wasps, is one of the few World Cup winners to have retained his place after seeing off the challenge of Gomarsall and Ellis.
Gomarsall started the campaign as first choice but a disappointing autumn series saw him dropped. Having seen both men up close, Drahm knows which one he prefers, saying: "I didn't play that much with Matt because they had Mark Robinson when I was there and Matt was injured a lot, so I am going to say 'Gomars' because I have played with him a bit more.
"He makes the right decisions a lot. A lot of half-backs will run or kick just because they have not done it for a while, but Andy does things for a reason. He's a strong player in defence and with ball in hand and, as with most half-backs, his pass is very good."
Meanwhile, Worcester have signed 25-year-old hooker Gavin Hickie - who made appearances for Leinster in the Heineken Cup and Celtic League and has represented Ireland at Under-19, U-21 and A-team level - until the end of the season.
Worcester have only one fit senior hooker at present and have been forced to put an Academy player on the replacements' bench behind starter Chris Fortey.
