Nick Kennedy out to prove he's a key man for England

Driving force: Nick Kennedy, in action against Italy, is "100 per cent certain" he can win back his England place after being left out of the XV for the games against France and Scotland

Sam Peters

13 April 2012

Nick Kennedy has vowed to win back his England place after being dropped to the bench by Martin Johnson for the climax to the Six Nations.

The London Irish second row has had a series of "open and honest" discussions with the England team manager and his coaching team of John Wells and Mike Ford over the past week in an attempt to establish why he was left out of the XV for the victories over France and Scotland.

The lock admits to being bitterly disappointed by the decision, which was taken despite him being one of England's few outstanding performers in the defeats by Wales and Ireland.

Kennedy produced the ideal response in his first game back from international duty on Saturday, when he claimed two tries and the man-of-the-match award as Irish romped to a 38-21 Guinness Premiership win over Bristol.

As his club go in search of Premiership and European Challenge Cup honours, in what director of rugby Toby Booth has labelled "the month of truth", the 27-year-old is determined to continue producing performances that will leave Johnson with no alternative but to pick him for the First Test against Argentina on 6 June.

"I was very, very disappointed to get dropped," he said.

"I just need to concentrate on being back with London Irish and winning things and then hopefully getting back in the England team will take care of itself. I've had a chat with Martin Johnson, Mike Ford and John Wells. They were open and honest discussions and I got a lot of stuff off my chest about what I thought.

"The place is there for me to win back and I'm going to do everything I can to do that. I'm 100 per cent confident I can fill the shirt."

At 6ft 8in and almost 18st, Kennedy is no one's idea of a shrinking violet but he has been hindered by Johnson keeping faith with Steve Borthwick as captain. London Wasps' 20st heavyweight Simon Shaw was drafted in to partner Borthwick after the defeat by Ireland as Johnson decided he needed a more confrontational approach to compensate for his captain's relative lack of power.

"They made Steve the captain for the autumn and for the Six Nations," Kennedy said.

"That means I've been fighting for one place in the second-row. They said I was too similar to Steve. I just want to get myself into a position where they can't drop me."

Kennedy has another chance to impress tomorrow night, when Irish play French outfit Bourgoin for a place in the Challenge Cup last four.

Last year's march into the Heineken Cup semi-finals, where the Exiles were narrowly beaten by Toulouse, coupled with sustained league success, has given Booth's team belief they can live with the best.

"We've been there or thereabouts in the Premiership all year," Kennedy said. "Our goal at the beginning of this season was to win some silverware and that's what we intend to do."

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