Frustrated Saints flanker Ludlam insists he must do better

That is because, on a constant drive for self-improvement, Ludlam feels he still has much more to offer for club and country.

He was heavily involved in the World Cup, though he didn't get any game time during the semi-finals and final.

And though he has also got a taste of the Six Nations action, he has missed key recent games against the likes of Ireland and Wales.

Ludlam was sent back to Saints last month and he produced a huge showing in the crucial win at Worcester Warriors.

But the 24-year-old insists he is nowhere near as good as he wants to be yet.

"In all honesty, I still don't really feel like I'm where I want to be with my game," Ludlam said.

"I took a lot away from the World Cup and made some improvements but it was a bit frustrating for me personally because I really wanted to push on.

"I wanted to play a big part in the Six Nations and to miss out on a couple of games, it was like 'I need to pick myself up and really kick on in my rugby'.

"I wanted to get a run of games and really work on some things I've been thinking about.

"Now this has come and I've not had a chance to work on those things so it's been frustrating really.

"It has been an okay season for me.

"As a club, we had a few losses, got ourselves back on track with a win at Worcester, but to not have a chance to back that up has been a strange one.

"It's been a good start to the season at times but I'm frustrated with where I've been at.

"I really wanted to push on in these next few weeks but now I don't know when it's going to be.

"I don't want to sound too negative but everyone's in the same boat. Everyone wants to push on, to improve and get better as a player. Then you assess yourself at the end of the season.

"For us to have a break now like this is frustrating to say the least really."

Saints went to Worcester having lost four successive Gallagher Premiership matches, three of which were at home.

But they rolled their sleeves up, gritted their teeth and overcame a late Warriors comeback to secure a 16-10 success at Sixways.

They are now on an enforced break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

And Ludlam looks back fondly on his side's most recent outing.

"It was always an important game for us to get back on track," he said.

"The nature of the way we won it - it wasn't a pretty game to say the least - and to grind out a result like that, away from home, backs against the wall, having been low on confidence from the previous few weeks, was important.

"To know we finished that chunk of games with that win and the nature of it was a really important thing.

"Whenever we go back, I'm sure we'll react on that maybe subconsciously and we do know we're fighting and we can fight and we can grind out those wins with our backs against the wall.

"The longer we have off, the more important that game will become and the nature of it as well.

"If we stormed over Worcester away from home, played running rugby and scored loads of points, I don't think it would have had the same sort of effect on our confidence as us being able to really grind it out down there."

The uncertainty around when rugby will return remains.

And when asked for his message for Saints supporters during this troubled time, Ludlam said: "Just keep calm and carry on.

"Stay isolated and I'm sure we'll be back playing our rugby in no time.

"For us, it's about taking each day as it comes, using this block to work on things as much as possible and make the most of it.

"It's about keeping calm and listening to regulations."