12:00pm Friday 12th March 2010
By Dan Barnes
ALEX Crockett has spoken of his relief at being back on a rugby pitch after making his comeback for Bristol in a 21-16 win at Nottingham in the British and Irish Cup on Sunday.
The former Bath co-captain and Sheldon School pupil scored a debut try in his first game since his nine-month ban for missing two drugs tests while playing for Bath.
And the 28-year-old, whose family live in Lower Wraxall, revealed he took time out of the country to cope with his enforced break from the game.
“I went over to Australia for a few months before Christmas,” Crockett said this week.
“After heading over in November and it was good to take some time out.
“I made an effort not to watch any rugby to take myself away from it. The time actually flew by and now I’m just really excited to be back playing.
“The lungs were burning a bit in the first half because you need some games under you belt to get up to speed, even if you’ve been doing a lot of training.
“It was good to get back on the scoresheet straight away but it was our flanker, James Merriman, who did all the work for me to set up the try.”
Crockett, who made 120 league and cup appearances for Bath before his ban, signed for Championship title favourites Bristol in January but was only able to play again after February 28.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/trade_directory/