The 27-year-old, who comes in for the injured Ben Morgan in England’s only change for their trip to Dublin to take on Ireland, spent last season globetrotting as he left the comfort of Paris and Stade Francais to play first in Japan and then in the Super 15 with the Highlanders.

While his travelling kept him out of England contention after the World Cup, Stuart Lancaster took charge and has injected youth and vigour into the Red Rose jersey.

And Haskell, whose first start for the new-look England came in the summer tests last year against South Africa, admits that he is relishing his second chance on the international scene.

“It was definitely a gamble," he said. "I'm not going to sit here like the bloke in The A-Team and say, 'I love it when a plan comes together', because that wasn't the case at all.

“I had no idea what was going to happen. I had no clue as to whether I would be given an opportunity to come back into the England side.

“I knew that if I went away I would be more enriched as a person – that I would probably grow up a little and come back a better player because of it. What I didn't know was whether I'd get another chance.

“I'd seen that some guys were no longer involved. I recognised they were bringing in young players and trying to create something new. But I also knew that if I was given the chance to work in the environment – that if Stuart got to know me, saw I was passionate about England and that I'd keep fighting to be involved because it meant so much to me – he might give me a shot.”