Tom Heathcote happy to fight for Bath Rugby fly-half shirt

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Tom Heathcote believes Bath Rugby is still the best place to develop his potential despite seeing his first-team chances limited this season.

The fabulous form of George Ford has allowed him to lock down the Bath fly-half jersey, leaving Heathcote sidelined for much of the campaign.

But with Ford away on England duty last Saturday, Heathcote was given the chance to start just his second Aviva Premiership game this term in the win over Wasps.

After turning 22 earlier this month and entering a key phase of his career, three-cap Scotland international Heathcote is targeting a more regular place in the Bath first XV.

“It has been frustrating a year in terms of consistent game time. I’ve played a few games in the LV= and Amlin Cups but not really got any sort of rhythm going as a ten,” said Heathcote.

“You want to be starting week in, week out in the Premiership. I know I’m going to have to do that to harvest an international career. To be in with a shout of getting picked for Scotland again, I need to be getting more game time.

“At the same time I want to be at a place where I know my game is improving so that when I do get that opportunity I will be as ready and as best prepared as possible to take it.

“The set-up we’ve got here with the training facilities, the coaches and the way the team is moving forward and starting to push towards the top four in the Premiership, I think it’s a good place to be to develop and improve.

“Playing in a side that is going so well and playing a really good brand of rugby where everybody is so positive, it’s very easy to slot in quite comfortably.”

Heathcote started his Bath career playing understudy to New Zealand World Cup winning fly-half Stephen Donald. The All Black struggled to live up his billing, however, and headed for the exit door and a new career in Japan last summer after just 18 months at The Rec.

At the time, Heathcote seemed primed to make the Bath ten shirt his own but 20-year-old Ford’s exceptional rise to prominence have meant the club have not been able to afford to leave him out.

“I’ve probably been more frustrated sitting on the bench in the last couple of seasons and feeling like I should be getting more game time because of the performances that were in place,” said Heathcote.

“No disrespect to Stephen but I felt I was able to push him a little bit more, whereas since George has come in he’s done really well and put in man-of-the-match after man-of-the-match performances.

“You can’t really do much about it if the guy ahead of you is playing so well. I understand and appreciate what he’s doing and how well he is doing for the side.

“I want to try to push him as much as possible with how I train and how I play.

“Being in training together week in, week out, you pick things up and push each other. It’s kept us both developing.”

Article source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/video-teenager-stopped-playing-rugby-6748360

Tom Heathcote happy to fight for Bath Rugby fly-half shirt