Leicester Tigers flanker Tom Croft will be glad to see the back of another season plagued by injury.
The explosive flanker spent eight months on the sidelines after suffering cruciate knee ligament damage at the start of the campaign.
But a quality pre-season, as he works himself back to full fitness, would see him right back in the England reckoning in time for to the World Cup next year, according to former Red Rose skipper Lewis Moody, pictured.
The 28-year-old Croft – a veteran of two tours with the British & Irish Lions – made his return from a second long-term injury in as many seasons in Tigers' final regular season Premiership fixture with Saracens.
In Croft's absence, Northampton's Tom Wood has gone about building an outstanding résumé to become Stuart Lancaster's first-choice No.6 in what is a well-balanced England back-row.
Lancaster opted not to take Croft on England's summer tour of New Zealand – a decision Moody believes suits both parties – but given his game-changing attributes, the former Tigers skipper sees no reason why Croft cannot force his way back into the side.
"I think there is absolutely a place for Tom Croft in the England side," said Moody.
"He has just come back from two seasons of rugby where he has played very little and had two horrific injuries, so to come back from that alone and to be able to play is a huge achievement.
"I would just like to see him when he gets back from his knee injury, focus on playing for Leicester and not to have the pressure of going on an England tour and trying to get back into that squad.
"Allow him to play a handful of games, go away and have a good pre-season and get really fit and strong, and then allow him to have the whole of next year to really compete for his place back.
"It would have been unfair on him to have been selected for the summer tour."
Wood is most likely to play his part against the world champions in their own back yard, while Harlequins' Luke Wallace, Gloucester's Matt Kvesic or another Tiger in Jamie Gibson could play back-up.
But Moody believes if Croft can get back to the form that has seen him be so successful with club and country, he will give Lancaster a huge selection dilemma.
"Having Tom Wood and Tom Croft battling out for that No.6 jersey would be brilliant and there is no doubt about Croft's qualities having been on two Lions tours," said Moody.
"He is a very different player to Wood, they are similar in their shape and size, but he is more athletic and quicker and a better eye for a gap and more of a game changer.
"When Wood is playing he gets through an incredible amount of work, makes a lot of tackles.
"But he won't be that game breaker that Croft will be, so there are two really different styles there.
"They are both really good line-out competitors, defensively and in attack, and it will be a difficult conundrum for Stuart and that will be a great battle next season."
Lewis Moody is a Land Rover ambassador. Land Rover supports grassroots rugby and provides the opportunity for 7,000 youngsters to take part in the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup.
