England and Lions flanker Tom Croft puts two years of pain behind him and has World Cup firmly in his sights

The physical pain that has kept Tom Croft on the sidelines for a year with
cruciate knee trouble has been as nothing to the anguish caused by watching
others playing in the No 6 shirt he might have been wearing for Leicester
and England.




The 28-year-old, who came close to paralysis through a neck injury in 2012,
has been denied almost two full seasons in the prime of his rugby life.

He
returns on Saturday for the high-octane match against Bath at the Recreation
Ground determined to stake his claim for international honours once again, a
more measured soul in all asp…