Abbott's gamble looks a good call

Now, as he enjoys a 10-day break from the hugely taxing training schedule which is preparing the 43-man England squad for warm-up Tests with Wales (23 August) and France (30 August and 6 September), Abbott knows he has a great chance of making the final 30 and being involved in the World Cup in Australia in October and November.

"I had a telephone call from Rudolf Straeuli before I knew I would be involved in this England World Cup training squad and the summer tour Down Under," said Abbott, who was born in Cape Town.

"He wanted to know what my situation was and I told him I was contracted to Wasps, really enjoying my rugby and my loyalties were here and he accepted that I wouldn't be going back to South Africa.

"At that point I didn't know if England were interested in me and so it was a bit of a risk but I really wanted to stay here and keep on playing and I was prepared to take my chances. I spoke to Warren Gatland (Wasps director of rugby) and asked him what he thought but he didn't want to say anything because he wanted me to stay at the club!

"If I am lucky enough to make the final 30 for the World Cup squad it will be pretty strange to then be in the same pool as South Africa, who will have some of the guys I played at Under-23 level with for South Africa. Those guys include Victor Matfield and Maurice Joubert."

Abbott, who joined Wasps in November 2001, qualifies for England through his mother while his grandparents still live in Manchester. His playing colleagues at school in Cape Town included future Springboks in Robbie Fleck and Selbourne Boome.

He spent two years at Stellenbosch University, before leaving the Cape to spend nine months playing Currie Cup rugby for Northern Free State in Welkom. Then came a two-month stint with Leicester in 1999, arranged by Joel Stransky, the Tigers' ex-Springbok star.

He explained: "During the 1999 World Cup I came over to Britain and played at Leicester for a short while and really enjoyed it, which meant when the opportunity to join Wasps came along I grabbed it with both hands.

"There was always the hope that playing well in England may lead to something but it wasn't at the forefront of my thinking when I did come over to London. It was quite tough at the beginning at Wasps even though there wasn't any real pressure on me because the team already had an established centre combination in Fraser Waters and Mark Denney and I had to wait for a chance.

"I was really happy with the way things went last season when I got my opportunity to play regularly in the centre for Wasps in the Premiership and it was a long and taxing season."

Having played for England against the Maori on the summer tour Down Under, Abbott was chosen in the World Cup training squad and a first cap is on the cards against Wales with the added incentive of making the final 30-strong party for Australia when it is named on 8 September.

Abbott added: "Everyone knows that these three games will decide who goes to the World Cup and there are a lot of places up for grabs.

"Clive Woodward has told us that we have to produce the goods when we get our chance and the pressure will be on. That's what he wants to achieve - put as much pressure on everyone as possible in these games.

"I have never played in what amounts to a trial match, not even when I was two years with the South African Under-23 side because I was selected on performances for my province. If I get selected for the Wales match then I know it will be a first England cap and also a trial for the World Cup .

"There won't be any point going out in these matches and trying to do things on your own to make an impression because that will mean not playing a real part in a team pattern. It's a fact that if they team goes well then you will be noticed and that's how I look at the situation."