BELL'S THE LAST PROP STANDING.Byline: ALEX SPINK DUNCAN BELL Duncan Stuart Crampton Bell (born October 1, 1974 in Kings Lynn, Norfolk) is an English rugby union player currently playing for Bath Rugby in the Guinness Premiership at the position of prop. He has previously played for NEC Harlequins, Sale Sharks, Ebbw Vale and Pontypridd. will feel a mix of guilt and pleasure when he makes his first England start for four years tomorrow. Guilt that his chance only came about due to injuries to more England props than you can shake a stick at - specifically David Barnes David Barnes is the name of a number of people:
Pleasure that his recall led eight-year-old daughter Abi to stand up in school assembly and tell everyone how great she felt about having a dad who plays for England. "It makes me very proud thinking she is proud of me," beamed Bell, who is long overdue a slice of a good luck. This is a guy who qualified as a plumber, but found he was too big to get into the nooks and crannies Noun 1. nooks and crannies - something remote; "he explored every nook and cranny of science" nook and cranny detail, item, point - an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole; "several of the details are similar"; "a point of information" with his plunger. And who then switched to mortgage advice just as Britain plunged into its biggest economic crisis since the Great Depression. Even when he made it on to the pitch as a replacement against Australia last week, his misfortune did not end. He was penalised at his first scrum. After all that it is no surprise he has to pinch himself to believe he is in Martin Johnson's starting lineup For the line of action figures, see . A starting lineup in sports refers to the set of players actively participating in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes against Argentina tomorrow. "I genuinely didn't think this would ever happen again," said the 35-year-old. "As recently as three weeks ago I was not even considering pulling on an England shirt, nor even being in the squad. It's quite surreal for me. "I had a career-threatening knee injury in 2006 which kept me out for over a year. It was touch and go whether I'd ever get back. "I thought my rugby days were gone, let alone my England career. "But here I am and to be honest I'm a better player and in better shape than I was in 2005." CAPTION(S): BACK AT LAST Duncan Bell yesterday |
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