However then team manager Martin Johnson clearly hadn’t read the script and released Strettle, along with four others, ahead of England’s first World Cup warm-up against Wales.

Strettle was right to feel hard done by having just helped Saracens lift their first Premiership title but under interim head coach Stuart Lancaster the wing is very much back in the frame.

He will make his second successive start against Italy on Saturday having been handed the No.11 jersey in England’s opening RBS 6 Nations win over Scotland at Murrayfield.

The last time Strettle started two games in a row was during the 2007 RBS 6 Nations, going on to make it three, and he revealed his hope of doing so again never dwindled.

“I had six caps until last year. My lowest point was probably at the World Cup when I got released from the squad,” said Strettle.

“Everyone has patches in their career where they have missed out through injury. I knew if I kept working hard I would get my chance again.

“My form had been good with Sarries. I felt I warranted an opportunity to have a chance to impress in the World Cup warm-ups and it never came.

“I felt I had done everything I could and I was quite down. But once it has happened, you are not going to become a better player by dwelling on it.

“You have to use it as stimulus to push on. It is great to be back in the mix now. It was a great occasion last weekend to pull the shirt on.”