CHRIS Pennell refuses to give up on his dream of playing for England again despite an injury-plagued start to the season with Worcester Warriors.

The flying Worcester-born full-back won his sole England cap in 2014 in New Zealand under Stuart Lancaster but is determined to catch the eye of new boss Eddie Jones this term.

Pennell has been suffering from a persistent neck injury but is primed for a return to action in the European Challenge Cup, starting with Saturday’s match in Moscow against Russian outfit Enisei-STM.

The 29-year-old is desperate to get back playing for Warriors and knows a series of impressive performances is his route into the England reckoning.

“It remains an ambition until I hang up my boots but it’s the old cliché that I’m concentrating on Worcester,” said Pennell.

“My opportunity in the first place came from playing well for Worcester and that’s my aim to come back. I still have a lot to learn and improve on.

“I will be ready to go if and when any representation opportunity comes along.

“Having a few games off may be helping me. Not having a full pre-season, not getting flogged, may help.

“I am desperate to get back and do what I can to help the club. I get way too frustrated watching and maybe a bit too emotional.”

Worcester’s Sixways Stadium has undergone a facelift this season with a new state-of-the-art artificial pitch and Pennell is convinced it will have a positive impact on his game.

“Having a consistent playing surface is huge for the sport,” he said.

“We want to score tries, which feeds into my game and how I want to play.

“I think Dean Ryan (former director of rugby) always wanted us to express ourselves and Hoggy (head coach and new boss Carl Hogg) is very much backing that up.

“Hoggy’s giving youngsters an opportunity and really pushing us on to try things, which is great for us. We go out with such a different mentality from Worcester teams in the past when we were playing not to lose.

“We have to go out and play to win. We are making starts towards that and it’s an exciting mind-set change.”

Backs coach Sam Vesty, who will oversee the side in Europe, revealed Pennell “was not far off” returning to full fitness as he aims to get himself back into the first team reckoning for the Premiership.

“It has been good to have him in training for the last couple of weeks,” Vesty said.

“He is getting his sharpness back that we have seen from him in the past few years, so I am really looking forward to when he does come back on the field as he is looking good in training.”

The cup is set to provide fringe players and promising youngsters the chance to stake their claim for a regular spot.

Hogg hoped to see centre Ryan Mills, who has been sidelined with a groin problem, in action but Vesty said the 24-year-old was still “with the medics” and admitted he “did not have a time-frame” for him.

Premiership Rugby and the 12 Aviva Premiership Rugby Clubs are supporting the Aviva Community Fund, a nationwide initiative which offers funding of up to £25,000 to grassroots sports clubs and other community organisations close to your heart. Enter at aviva.co.uk/community-fund.