ADRIAN Skeggs has challenged Sixways favourite Nick Baxter to save his Worcester Rugby Club career by insisting: "You can't live on the past".
Worcester's director of coaching believes Baxter, who is now in his seventh season at Sixways, can get himself back into the first-team picture if he tightens up his game in training and in matches.
Baxter has not started a game for the National One leaders since October and has only one try to his name this season -- a world away from the form the 27-year-old showed two years ago when he set a National League record try tally of 29.
Skeggs believes the winger cannot live on former glories if he is to win his place back in the side.
He said: "The past is the past -- I don't ask the guys to bring their scrap books in every week because that is not going to get them in the team.
"What is going to get them a place is what they do on the training pitch and then between the two white lines on match-days.
"Nick is good coming forward but I'm not quite sure about going back -- he has just got to get some consistency into his training and his game play."
Baxter, whose contract is up at the end of the season, last week spoke of his desire to get back into the team and his hopes of staying at the club for the rest of his career.
However, he is now behind Sateki Tuipulotu, Spencer Bromley and Ally McLean for a winger's spot and has again been left out of the Worcester side travelling to Henley Hawks on Saturday.
Skeggs added: "I chose Spencer because he's a talented player, Sateki plays a dual role with his kicking and Ally has worked tremendously hard.
"Nick has just got to get his head down and get more consistent in what he does rather than trying to win games by himself.
"It must be frustrating for him -- I've been in that boat myself before but there is no easy option."
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