FROM the moment anyone starts a new sport they start dreaming of the ultimate -- to represent their country.

And in centre Andrew Higgins Worcester have a teenager making giant strides towards what is usually just a flight of fancy for the vast majority.

At the tender age of 18 he has already become a regular fixture in Worcester's midfield and to cap a fine season he has been fast tracked into the England Under 21s.

It has been a whirlwind progression for a player who this time last year was still at school studying for his A-levels.

"You always want to go as high as possible but the England Under 19s was my target for the season," he said.

England won their opening game at home against Ireland but let a comfortable lead slip in Valenciennes to lose their unbeaten record to France.

"We were 18-0 ahead after half an hour and should have got the result," he said.

"They scored a soft try just before half-time but we shouldn't have let them back in, they shouldn't have been able to come back from that."

England still have a fine chance of victory in the Six Nations as France lost to Wales in the opening round of matches and Higgins still enjoyed the experience.

"I'm playing at 12 which is a bit different for me as I've played 13 all season," he added. "But I'm enjoying it and am learning a huge amount which is good for me.

"It's physical and very fast and the French centres I came up against were some of the best players I've faced."

His French excursion started the Tuesday before the international weekend when the squad met up for training in Kent. They crossed into France on Thursday by Eurostar on the Thursday for the Friday night match at Valenciennes near Lille.

When the full international kicked off in Paris Higgins was heading back to Worcester so did not see the game .

Although Clive Woodward and his coaching team did not see the U21 equivalent they have a direct say on selection from the U21s upwards so are fully aware of what is going on.

And the effect can clearly be seen in the senior team with Jonny Wilkinson and Iain Balshaw both playing in Paris two years after playing for the U21s.