L
loratadine
Guest
ha ha ha - no he hasnt - and he never will be
read on and find out why
credit:bbc.co.uk
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
read on and find out why
credit:bbc.co.uk
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
Delve commits his future to WalesÂ
Delve has been hotly tipped for Wales' Six Nations squad
Outstanding young Bath number eight Gareth Delve has confirmed that his international hopes are with Wales.
The Cardiff-born 23-year-old qualifies for England by residency, but dreams of playing for the land of his birth.
"England is not going to happen," said Delve. "I've been eligible for a long time but my heart's with Wales, that is where I see my international career."
Delve has been hotly tipped for a call up to the Wales Six Nations squad, due to be named on 17 January.
That would cap a remarkable fightback from an appalling series of injuries that meant he had only started three games in his five years at Bath before this season.
Delve, a product of Bristol's renowned Colston's College, has undergone shoulder reconstruction and overcome a damaged cruciate ligament in his right knee and a broken foot.
He actually made the Wales squad under Steve Hansen in 2003, playing as a substitute in the non-cap 48-35 loss to the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium.
 The injuries did start to get me down and frustrated
Gareth Delve
He was set for the summer tour of Australia and New Zealand and the autumn World Cup, but instead underwent a second shoulder operation after injuring himself in the Baa-Baas game.
"Being called into the Welsh squad was a dream come true," Delve told BBC Sport Wales.
"For that to disappear within 24 hours and to be out of the tour and the World Cup was very hard to take, compounded by the fact that I still hadn't won a Welsh cap."
The frustration was enhanced as he saw back-rowers from his peer group advancing their careers.
"I'm a bit younger than Ryan Jones and Andy Lloyd, they were always the big names in the age groups above me," said Delve, who has previously been heralded as 'the new Scott Quinnell'.
"Ryan took his chances really well last year, to come back as the star of the Lions tour was just exceptional.
Jones' surgery a successÂ
"He's a great bloke and we were all happy for him. It was tragic for him to aggravate that shoulder injury when he played against us [Bath] in the Powergen Cup, but he'll get over it and come back even stronger next season."
Jones can surely take heart from Delve as he begins the long road to recovery.
"The injuries did start to get me down and frustrated," admitted the quietly spoken youngster.
"But the way Bath have stuck by me has meant the world to me and has made my recovery so much easier.
Â
I am an ambitious guy who has always set high targets and I still feel that I can achieve them
Gareth Delve
"I hope that I showed enough between my injuries to justify their faith in me and that I'm now proving them right."
Delve is, indeed, one of the form players in the Guinness Premiership, a point highlighted by a spectacular late 70m interception try in the recent win over Worcester.
"It's been great, I finally feel like I'm starting to get somewhere and coming into a bit of form," said Delve.
"I think I have a pretty high work rate, a decent turn of speed, and can be physical when necessary. And I'm working on all aspects of my game.
"There are great players at Bath to help me out, just look at the quality of our second row [Danny Grewcock and Steve Borthwick].
"In the Premiership you're facing a lot of players who have been the cream of the crop for a long time and they just spur you to improve.
"I know that [Wales coaches] Mike Ruddock and Scott Johnson watch a lot of the Premiership, so I don't think playing in England hurts my international prospects.
"It's nice to even be considered for the Six Nations, but for the moment the main thing is to stay injury free and to progress with Bath.
"I am an ambitious guy who has always set high targets, though, and I still feel that I can achieve them.
"There are a lot of things ahead in my rugby career that I really want to make happen and that's what has driven me.
"But after all the injuries I try not to set specific goals now, I take things as they come."[/b]