SOUTH African winger Dean Hammond insists he has bounced back from injury and is looking to end the season in style.
Hammond strained his hamstring against Cardiff Blues in the Anglo Welsh Cup in February, which forced him to sit out five Aviva Premiership games.
But the 24-year-old in now itching to make an impact in Warriors’ final three Premiership matches and continue the momentum that has seen him cross the whitewash eight times this season.
“The hamstring injury against Cardiff Blues was nothing serious and now I’m back, feeling fit and fresh and raring to go,” said Hammond.
“It was frustrating, but you just have to try and get back out on the pitch as fast as you can so you can keep the momentum from the previous games.
“Throughout the last two years I’ve had spells on the sidelines through injuries, so it doesn’t really bother me. You just have to bounce back. Seeing guys playing well in your position makes you want to train harder which I think is a healthy sign for any club.
“The goal now is to play as much as I can and hopefully I can compete in the tail end of the season just as well as I did in the first part,” he added.
The former Western Province winger made one Premiership appearance from the bench last season under former director of rugby Dean Ryan, but under head coach Carl Hogg and director of rugby Gary Gold, Hammond has made ten starts and scored four tries this campaign.
“You have to find the balance as you need to build team cohesion and combinations, but it’s hard to ignore a player when he’s knocking at the door and scoring tries,” he added.
“As a coach, you want a player who’s hungry to perform for the team and himself. A lot of the guys have been rewarded this year for their performances. It’s a good environment.
“I think I’ve developed a lot since I’ve been here, so hopefully it’s onwards and upwards for me,” he added.