Fit-again West determined to make the most of his Saints chance

Having added Italy star Danilo Fischetti to their squad during the summer, they now have three experienced operators competing for the No.1 shirt.

Manny Iyogun is a young man on the up and was last week named as the England A starter for the clash with an All Blacks XV.

And Tom West is now back from injury, bringing a huge amount of know-how having had spells with Wasps, Leicester Tigers and Saracens at the top level of the English game.

For his part, West is fully focused on showing his worth while Iyogun and Fischetti are on the international scene.

And the 29-year-old said: "It (loosehead) is a strong position here.

"I'm enjoying the prospect of when we're all back training and having that competition.

"We'll see how we all get on, manage the season, manage each other and get going.

"I'm not a younger player coming through so you know what you need to do in terms of when you get these opportunities you've got to make the most of them.

"You've just got to be ready to go whenever that opportunity comes because the game changes so fast in terms of injuries or selection so you need to make sure you come in every week with the same attitude and you're ready to go."

West came off the bench to make his first appearance of the season in the PREM Rugby Cup win against Harlequins earlier this month.

It was a welcome return to action after he suffered a foot injury in the defeat at Exeter Chiefs late last season.

And he admits he had to alter his summer plans after being sidelined before the end of the campaign.

"It was my Lisfranc and luckily I missed out on surgery but I was in a boot and on crutches for seven weeks and then rehabbing over pre-season and the rest of the summer," West said.

"My injury came at an awkward time because I hadn't booked to go away and as soon as it happened, I was like 'I can't book it now'.

"It's always a juggle at the end of the season - and partners are not thankful for it, I can tell you that!

"But it was still a good summer and I managed to get away for a couple of weeks here and there so it was nice."

West is now delighted to be back and he is loving being part of a Saints squad that remains unbeaten this season.

"With where we're at now, it's an exciting environment to be a part of," he said.

"Last season we just missed out (on winning the Investec Champions Cup) but we're now looking strong this year in the PREM and PREM Cup so far.

"It's exciting to look where we can take it this year."

So is it easier to come back into a team that is winning matches?

"I don't think it changes a lot," West said.

"It's obviously easier than trying to get back in if it was the complete reverse, but it makes it easier that the environment is so good.

"Everyone's really positive, everyone's having a good time so it makes it so much easier to come back in.

"While you're doing your running sessions, you're watching the rugby sessions like 'I want to get back in' and when you're there you're opinion doesn't change and you're glad to be back into the flow of things.

"It's so good to have watched it and seen the boys get these away wins at Gloucester, Newcastle.

"It's been so good to watch."

West now gets to do more than watch as he uses his experience to help steer a Saints squad that combines youngsters with senior pros in the PREM Rugby Cup.

"I wouldn't say I'm a loud messages talker or anything like that in team huddles," he said.

"What I do try to do occasionally is if I see someone getting a bit stressed out or going on tilt, as they say in poker, I just try to help them calm down and get back to normal.

"That's not through shouting or anything like that, it's maybe when everyone's off elsewhere, I'll try to have a quiet word with someone."

West has been enjoying working with new Saints scrum coach Jaco Pienaar.

And when asked what he has learned from Pienaar so far, he said: "It's been little technical bits here and there.

"Jaco, being as experienced as he is, hasn't wanted to come in and rip everything up.

"Certainly since I've been back fit, he hasn't been telling me to change this and change that - it's just been little things here and there, which is the best way to go about it because you take what you see and know about players and grow them in that way rather than reshape them.

"We're such a close group here, forwards and backs, so it's been good to have continuity and with Jaco coming in, it hasn't changed a lot. He's come in and slotted straight into the group."

Saints are now preparing to host Newcastle Red Bulls in the cup on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm).

And West said: "We want to get better every week, that includes PREM Cup and whatever game it is, whoever is pulling on a Saints jersey.

"We want to improve as a squad so these next few weeks are the perfect opportunity to do that."