THELWALL rugby union star David Strettle has expressed his gratitude for the many messages of support he received ahead of his impressive England debut on Saturday.

The 23-year-old former Lymm High School pupil was called into the England squad late last week in place of injured winger Jason Robinson, scoring a try in an encouraging first match for his country in their 43-13 Six Nations defeat to Ireland at Dublin's Croke Park.

Strettle, who has scored nine tries in 14 appearances for Harlequins in his first season in the Premiership, previously played for Warrington RUFC and then Lymm RFC before joining Rotherham in 2002.

And the pacy winger - a Warrington Wolves rugby league fan as well as a former Beechfield footballer, Warriors of Warrington swimmer and Lymm Lazer basketball player - received an incredible amount of support from friends in the town ahead of his debut.

Strettle told the Warrington Guardian: "My phone blew up on Friday. I've never had so many text messages in my life!

"It was brilliant, there were people I've not spoken to for a long time wishing me all the best as well as all my mates.

"It definitely showed there's a lot of people rooting for me."

Strettle, who will play for Harlequins at Leicester on Saturday, shot to prominence on the national scene last year when he scored five tries in one half on his debut for England Sevens - a world record - and has also represented England Saxons in the last 12 months.

But Lymm High School's first rugby union international was not expecting to be selected for the full team so quickly - ahead of Mark Cueto and Ben Cohen - and enjoyed the experience, even though he was one of only few to emerge with any credit from a disappointing defeat.

"I got told on Friday that I was playing and another world opened up," he said.

"Just to get that chance was something else - I don't think I'll ever forget that.

"And I was chuffed with the try. To score in any game is good but on your debut you can't really complain!"

Strettle is still unsure if he will be selected for England's next match against France at Twickenham on March 11.

Robinson is likely to be fit but Strettle will be hard to drop.

* Read an interview with Strettle's ex-Lymm RFC coach in our rugby union section at warringtonguardian.co.uk.