Jake’s ideal present is to face the Tigers (From Worcester News)

Jake’s ideal present is to face the Tigers

1:00pm Friday 23rd December 2011 in Tom Guest

HOME-GROWN Warriors flanker Jake Abbott has just one festive wish this year — to be selected for Worcester’s Christmas cracker with Leicester Tigers at Sixways next Tuesday.

The passionate, all-action back-rower, who has come up through the club from the mini-juniors section as a seven-year-old, would love to test himself against one of the giants of the Aviva Premiership in front of a partisan home crowd.

The game has been sold out for weeks and Abbott is excited about the prospect of taming the Tigers — but he is equally pleased Warriors are plying their trade back in the top flight once more.

He said: “I am praying to be involved against Leicester. It will be massive and to win would be up there with earning promotion from the Championship.

“It’s a huge game which we are all looking forward to. We all want to play — it could be an interesting week in training.

“It’s great to be back in the Premiership. There is always that buzz when it is a home match or a Friday night game.

“Living in the middle of town, if you walk the dog on the night or morning before a game you can feel it building.

“There are Worcester shirts everywhere and a real buzz around the city.

“It’s a great thing to be part of. I still consider myself one of the young ones here and I want to be at Sixways for years to come.”

Away from the high-octane world of Premiership rugby, Abbott, 23, likes to unwind by playing the guitar and singing at open-mic nights around the county.

However, he insists that, while he is passionate about his music, playing rugby for Worcester will always be his number one love.

He explained: “The music is developing although I haven’t been able to do too much since the season started. All my focus is on rugby.

“But, in time away from the club, it is good to have something to shut yourself off with and help you de-stress.

“Someone made the mistake of saying I could sing – I’ve taken it literally and will always sneak into an open-mic event around Worcester.

“I’m not telling people in advance though — people will start booing me off stage!

“It’s a passion and I’m not sure how serious it will get. If I wasn’t playing rugby I would pursue it, but rugby is my number one.

“It’s in the off-season that I will gig as much as I can. The X-Factor is not for me – I’m not very pop with my music. But maybe one day. If someone paid me!”