Narraway returned to Guinness Premiership action in early December following a back strain but has been confined to the replacement’s bench ever since.

And with the Cherry and Whites struggling this season and the likes of Steffon Armitage and Jordan Crane overtaking Narraway in the England reckoning – the Gloucester ace admits he faces the fight of his life.

"I suppose the way I play is suitable to coming off the bench and people see me as someone that can change the way the game's going but there's no way I want to be thought of like that,” said Narraway, who is currently considering whether to commit his future to Gloucester after this season.

“I see myself as a number eight and I want to be starting.

"No player wants the super sub tag. I want to be playing for 80 minutes.

"But if I'm coming off the bench then it means I have a chance to prove to the coaches that I want to be starting.

"I can play across the back row and that can make it frustrating because if you can cover all three positions it makes you the ideal bench man.”