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Exeter Chiefs fly-half Harvey Skinner is determined to make his way to England this season.
The 26-year-old replaced Joe Simmonds as the club’s first choice last season, a player who despite his impressive performances remains without an England appearance. Skinner aims to achieve what his predecessor could not and break through on the international stage.
“I still have the ambition to play at international level and push [for that] 10,” he said, reported by BBC Sport.
“I just have to play well for my club, if the team is doing well you might be wanted for an England shirt.”
The Chiefs face Leicester Tigers on Saturday in their Premiership opener, two teams who missed the playoffs last season, but both can be expected to challenge each other this year. This is the perfect opportunity for Skinner to gain momentum before directly meeting those vying for the place in England he covets, namely George Ford and Marcus Smith.
“When you play your opponent who’s already wearing the England shirt, I think you put a marker on them to say ‘I’m here, stay tuned’,” Skinner said.
“I will chat with the coaches to see if they have heard anything, how they think you can improve and what next steps you need to take.
“If you play well for your club, people will talk about you and it will be difficult for them not to choose you.”
Exeter’s clash with Leicester will be Skinner’s 100th appearance for the team. During this period, he scored six tries and 119 points in total. Skinner has worked hard since joining the club in 2015, slowly progressing through the ranks to regular playing time.
Simmonds’ move to Pau has paved the way for new chances to impress. Skinner was almost called up to England last season but failed to make the development squad, ultimately missing a useful fixture to impress the coaching staff who might decide to bring him into the main squad.
“Once you’re in that kind of environment, they’re always going to be looking to see how you then adapt to that environment: are you going to thrive? So I would like to be in that kind of environment, play well and show what I am,” he said.
England have a busy November to look forward to with four matches at the new Allianz Stadium, Twickenham. The Autumn International series will feature clashes with New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Japan; a huge milestone for Skinner to reach as the Premiership gets underway.
