Rosslyn Park scrum-half Matt Heeks is enjoying his rugby again after scoring on his English Counties debut against Ireland last week.

Despite a 30-20 defeat in Cork, and spending 10 minutes in the sin-bin, Heeks was pleased with his overall performance after bagging a try, as did club-mate Nev Edwards.

Because of their new international commitments, Heeks and Edwards were not available for Park’s 16-3 win over Coventry in National League One, but they return for the trip to Tynedale on Saturday.

Heeks, who has three tries in 11 starts this season, said: “It was a proud moment when I got the phone call telling me I’d been selected. The selectors said they had been watching me and so it’s nice to get noticed like that.

“I was disappointed with the result in the end, if some things had gone our way we could have nicked the game.

“Overall I was happy with my performance, and I’m looking forward to the France game in a couple of weeks.”

The phone call to tell him he had been selected is a far cry from the phone call Heeks received over the summer from his then coach at London Scottish, telling him he was surplus to requirements.

“It is funny how these things work out, how things can change,” Heeks said.

“I was not very happy over the summer but now everything is different. I was hurt by what happened at Scottish, but that has all changed now.

"I am concentrating so much on getting Park into the Championship and maybe getting noticed for the England Saxons.

“I am really enjoying my rugby right now,” he added.

Park’s weekend win over Coventry came courtesy of Luke Campbell’s try and 11 points off the boot of Sam Katz.

It leaves Park fourth in the table, just three points off second place, but 12 points off top.

Heeks said: “I believe only one team goes up so it is pretty brutal. But we need to keep the pressure on Ealing and hope they slip up.”