England winger David Strettle has called for the game’s Premiership stars to back themselves with ball in hand to end the game’s growing dependence on the kicking game.

The 25-year-old is bidding for a Premiership comeback against Northampton Saints next week, having spent the last four months on the sidelines with the third metatarsal injury of his career.

Strettle limped out of Quins’ triumph at Worcester Warriors in October and has watched as his team mates have gone on to claim a first Heineken Cup quarter-final slot in 11 years - despite the weekend’s 21-10 defeat in Ulster.

He remains one of English rugby’s most potent attacking weapons and would be leading the way in the number of defenders beaten stats had he played more than five games this season.

Kicking the ball deep into opposition territory has become more prevalent this season following the introduction of new laws at the break down, but Quins’ 29 phase drop goal play against Stade Francais is an example of what is possible.

And Strettle, who was one of eight Quins named in England’s Elite Player Squad set-up last week, reckons it is time players started to buck that trend in the name of entertainment.

“That sums my game up, I’ll always attack the guys in front of me. It is the strongest part of my game,” he said.

“That is what people who pay money to watch rugby want to see. Not end to end kicking.

“People should back themselves a bit more, because kicking the ball away is too easy an option.

“Sometime games need to be slowed down and you do need to play percentages, but if you want that moment of brilliance that people pay to see it comes about because you’ve backed yourself.”

Strettle has spent much of the last 18 months in and out of hospital, but he is confident his injury woes are behind him as he goes in search of a Lions tour spot and a possible Six Nations re-call.

And he admits Quins success in Europe has been the hardest pill to swallow as he has battled back to fitness.

“With my injury I’ve missed a World Cup, a Six Nations and the autumn internationals,” he said.

“No disrespect to the England team, but having seen my best mates go to Stade Francais and do what they did, I’ve got to say that is the thing that hurt the most.

“The Lions would be a nice end to the story. I work on the basis of knowing what I’m capable of. I know what I can do in the Premiership and internationally and I’d love to do that with the Lions.

“All I can do is look after my game and things with Quins, then the rest will look after itself.”

And he is hoping that means he can start making up for lost time.

“I was disappointed to be in the Saxons at the start of the summer, so I thought I’d send the selectors a little message and I did do that,” said Strettle.

“Lady luck turned her back on me, but Deano put his arm round me and said he’d missed a whole season with a shoulder problem.

“If you look at the career he had I’ve got plenty of time to make up for it.”

David Strettle was speaking at the launch of the Land Rover Premiership Cup this week.

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