David Tibbott is aiming for England under-21 honours after recovering from injury in a roller-coaster year.

The 20-year-old Wasps centre from Scaynes Hill has suffered two damaged hands and a knee problem all of which have sidelined him for most of 2001.

But Tibbott has returned to action and hopes to grab a place in the Six Nations Championship squad to be named next month.

And he is looking to double up by flying the flag in the prestigious Sanzar event, rated the unofficial World Under-21s Cup, in South Africa during the summer.

The former Brighton College pupil made his comeback in a 34-11 victory for Wasps over Gloucester and said: "I played okay and feel fine. Now I can look to getting in the frame for England.

"It doesn't get much better than being called up for internationals. It is every player's dream, what we all aspire to, so I am keeping my fingers crossed."

Tibbott, who played against France for the South of England last month, is taking nothing for granted after his highs and lows.

"I've got mixed feelings about the year. Being selected against France was fantastic but at other times, when I was on my own with my own thoughts, I wondered whether I was ever going to be fit enough for any rugby.

"I've always been unlucky with injuries, not small but big ones at important times. I broke an ankle just before my England Schools under-18s trials and, because my dad Richard is Welsh, I was included in the Wales under-18 squad before I broke my knuckle and missed a tour to Spain and Portugal.

"With history repeating itself this year, I wondered to myself 'what have I done to deserve this?'.

"It was difficult to keep my spirits up. But I have received a lot of support. Wasps team-mates like Alex King, who is an awesome bloke, were so positive. Alex, who was also at Brighton College, told me to keep plugging away and I'd get through it. Roger Knibbs, the physio at Wasps, kept in touch to check up on my rehab. My family and friends in general have been there for me too.

"When I was on my own I just kept thinking about what a good feeling it is to step on to the rugby pitch and the fact some of my mates were doing well. It helped me to keep carrying on."

Tibbott's injury nightmare began in February when he damaged his right hand playing for Wasps against Saracens, an injury which kept him out of action until September.

"I'd signed a professional contract just a few days before it happened. It was a very bad one. I had to have muscle from my forearm grafted on to my thumb to rebuild the ligaments. The operation was done by a hand expert who had operated on Nasser Hussain's injury. It was an annoying and frustrating period."

He finally made it back and made rapid progress despite the setback of a knee injury two weeks later.

"I put England to the back of my mind and concentrated on just getting fit. Fortunately the knee trouble wasn't too bad and it went well for me."

Then he suffered an injury to his left hand against London Irish in October and end up playing against France with a damaged left hand.

"I had two x-rays and they didn't show any fractures and I played six matches with it bust. I decided to play in the French match. I thought the opportunity to play in a game like that doesn't come up very often.

"But I was in absolute agony during the game and had my worst performance for three years. Afterwards I had a bone scan and it revealed the hand was broken."

The injury kept him out of contention when England A took on Wales in a Six Nations warm-up.

Now, at last, he is injury-free but needs to get match fit. Tibbott hopes to be named in the Wasps side to face Leeds in the National Under-21s club league on January 12. He hopes the selectors will be there.

Tibbott, who is also eligible to play for Italy, chose England after talking to the then under-19s manager and Brighton College Sports Academy director Geoff Wappett.

He is just one of a clutch of former Haywards Heath players who are bidding to make the grade including John Hart (Wasps), John Lake (London Irish), Adam Halsey (Saracens) and Hugh Griffin (Harlequins).

But he has suffered more than most through injury.

His father Richard, manager of Sussex under-20s, said: "David has made a commitment which is a high-risk strategy given the nature of professional sport and he has had so many ups and downs. In some ways it is like Andy Higgins, another centre, who is from Horsham, who went professional and got a few injuries."

Higgins has managed to develop enough to earn a place in England's senior training squad but was recently dropped from Bristol's first team The outside centre is still learning to ride a roller-coaster. Just like inside centre Tibbott who is looking for an injury-free New Year to enable his England wish to be fulfilled.

HOOKER Simon Mandelbaum (Lancing College) and Mike E Power (centre) have been chosen for the London and South East divisional under-16s squad. Mandelbaum plays for Chichester, and Power is with Horsham. Lock Andy Hodgkins (Steyning Grammar and Worthing) reached the final trial.

Rob Lawrence, from Chichester High and Chichester Club, an under-17s hooker, has been named in the under-18s schools divisional squad.