Bristol v Harlequins: Dan desperate for taste of national service

As Bristol gained a valuable victory on the road at Harlequins last week, Dan Ward-Smith was lying in a hospital bed on an intravenous drip. He had picked up a stomach bug, had not eaten for a week and had lost nine kilos in weight. "I was run down," he said. "It's another hard-luck story. Things can only get better."

His appetite restored, Ward-Smith is back at No 8 for Bristol today in the rematch with Quins, and they have an excellent chance of progressing in the Heineken Cup. "It's been a rough ride," he said.

His spectacular rise and fall began when he was recruited to the Premiership from Plymouth, where his dynamic style brought him a staggering 101 tries. His form with Bristol was no less impressive, and last autumn he was on the fringe of the England team but damaged a thumb and needed an operation. A few months later, Brian Ashton named him in England's squad for the Six Nations. A first cap seemed a certainty, because Ward-Smith had been playing out of his skin, but the week before England played Scotland he suffered a grotesque injury.

Playing for Bristol against Northampton, he picked the ball up at a five-metre scrum and... "I was driving forwards and was hit by people who wanted to drive me backwards. I thought somebody had kicked me on the kneecap. When I looked at it, it was on the side of my leg. My body went into shock. They gave me oxygen, which worked like laughing gas. I lost all sense. I was singing and waving to the crowd as I was stretchered off."

Before being transferred to an ambulance, Ward-Smith asked them to get his kitbag. "It's No 35," he said. They didn't have a clue what he was talking about. At Bristol the bags are identified with players' initials. No 35 was from his days at Plymouth.

Following an operation he had six months of rehab, including a month working with the American specialist Bill Knowles in Vermont, the man who fixed Charlie Hodgson's knee. "Your muscles forget how to work," Ward-Smith said. "I had to learn to walk before I could run." His progress was such that Ashton invited him to join England's World Cup training camp.

"It was a brilliant experience but I wasn't able to do myself justice. It was painful just to run. I watched the World Cup on TV and was enthralled. Having been involved in the build-up I was really proud of England's achievement." With Ward-Smith on the sofa, Nick Easter of Quins (they cannot qualify from the pool stage of the Heineken and Easter is rested for today's match) took the opportunity to establish himself in France.

"I'd played a lot against Nick when I was at Plymouth and he was at Orrell. I was happy for him. He's proved himself the top No 8 in England and that's what I want to be. Having missed out on the Six Nations last season it would be silly to aim for anything less in the new year. My comeback won't be complete until I prove I can play international rugby. I desperately want a cap." If he can pull it off, Desperate Dan will be the first Red Rose player who is a quarter Maori, quarter Lebanese, quarter Scottish and quarter English. He was born in Palmerstown, New Zealand, and adopted by an English couple when his parents separated.

In one regard, the 29-year-old Ward-Smith has been fortunate. His girlfriend, Jamie Bird, is a fitness instructor at the gym where he works out. "She's been looking after me for the last year," he said. "I owe her a lot."