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Benjamin burning up the terrain

Thursday 28th August 2008

Worcester flyer: Miles Benjamin

Miles Benjamin is a man in a hurry - and he has no intention of applying the brakes during this season's Guinness Premiership campaign.

Worcester wing Benjamin's whirlwind start to his professional rugby career means he is already among the Premiership's hottest properties, aged just 20.

The Solihull-born speedster only made his Premiership debut last October, yet he ended the campaign as Worcester's top try-scorer with 15 touchdowns in all competitions.

Benjamin also helped England reach the U20 World Cup Final, a tournament that featured victories over Australia and South Africa, and he is now ready to move up another gear.

Not that a burgeoning reputation has prevented him from keeping his feet on the ground.

Benjamin is calmness personified, despite gaining rave reviews for the pace, power and finishing ability that could see him contesting senior England honours during the next 12 months.

A Worcester academy product, Benjamin has a "big future" according to Warriors rugby director Mike Ruddock, who is assembling an enviable back division at Sixways.

And the presence of major summer recruit Chris Latham - he joins last year's notable arrivals in New Zealand All Blacks Rico Gear and Sam Tuitupou - can only enhance Benjamin's development.

"It is a really exciting back division," he said.

"There is a lot of experience there to help the young guys like myself out, which is exactly what you need.

"Yes, you hear the nice things people say about you, but I try to take each game as it comes, keep training hard and then hope I get picked.

"I try and enjoy every moment when I am out there.

"The first objective is to get that Warriors number eleven shirt again, then try to have a positive influence on the team and hopefully play a big part in getting us into the top half of the Premiership table.

"We all desperately want to get there, and we believe we have got the capability to do it."

Benjamin's emergence reflects the ambition of a club who were European Challenge Cup finalists last term, culminating a campaign when their Premiership scalps included title contenders Gloucester, Leicester and Sale Sharks.

Off the field, work is continuing at pace on an �8m ($15m) extension of Sixways' existing East Stand that will increase capacity, while new club offices and a retail outlet are also in the pipeline.

"The Challenge Cup final created a massive buzz around the club and the city, and we want to be a club that is associated with being in finals," Benjamin added.

"Having the exposure to the Challenge Cup gave us a taste of the type of club we want to become.

"We believe we can, on our day, beat anyone. We need to maintain that belief and have that winning mentality every time we step on the pitch.

"Any trophy going is what we are after - it's about really believing you are going to win every week.

"For me, the number of quality wings around in England is really exciting.

"Knowing everyone in my position is of such a high standard is good because you know week in, week out you are going to be playing against some of the best around.

"There is nothing more fulfilling than going out knowing you are playing on an important stage and that you have to perform. It is something I really look forward to.

"I would be lying if I said if I didn't have my sights set on maybe the England Saxons squad this season, but for now, my focus has got to be the club.

"The club is really where I see us making us some strides this season. I think we can really do some special things, and I want to be able to play a big part in it."

And if Benjamin can maintain his rapid rise, then he acknowledges that previous experience of England representative honours at U20 level will have helped him considerably.

"The World Cup this summer was brilliant," he said.

"It was our last chance to do something special together as that particular U20 squad, so it was good to get to the final, although a shame to lose it (against New Zealand).

"Quite a few of the guys in our squad had played Premership rugby, and we all agreed it was just as intense. The standard was very high - it was a really good tournament.

"It was also great to play against different styles such as the South Africans and the Fijians.

"There is no doubt I feel more experienced coming into this season than I did for the last one."