Life in the old Catt yet
May 28 2009
England veteran Mike Catt will reluctantly postpone his retirement plans in order to come to London Irish's rescue next season.
The World Cup winner had intended to hang up his boots this summer in order to become a full-time coach with the Exiles.
But injuries to fly-halves Chris Malone and Jamie Lennard, signed for next season, have left Irish desperately short of cover at ten.
Both new arrivals are set to miss the start of the campaign, almost certainly forcing Catt to continue playing.
And the 37-year-old is far from enthused by the prospect of further delaying his tracksuit role at the Madejski Stadium.
"I'd be gutted because while I'm thoroughly enjoying playing, I'm really enjoying coaching," he said.
"I've fit in very easily as a coach at London Irish because of the players we have and the style we play.
"Toby Booth [Director of Rugby] has taught me a lot but there's still plenty for me to learn from him. Now I need to go full time as a coach.
"But we've recruited two fly-halves and both of them have become injured unfortunately.
"They're out for between four to five months and that has left us light at ten.
"If both of them don't recover by the time the season begins then I'll have to start, or at least be available."
Catt will be 38 in September when the new Guinness Premiership season begins yet the Barbarians' assistant coach for Saturday's clash with England insists physically he is able to continue.
"I'm ready to call it a day as a player but the body is fine - I only kick and distribute now anyway, I don't take contact!" he said.
"But I still have the bug as a player and will do what's best for the club.
"People go on about the 37-year-old thing all the time but I'm just as fit as some of the 18-year-olds coming into the game.
"The body's fine, it just takes more time to recover - two or three days instead of one."