WORCESTER wing Jonny Hylton says he is in tip-top shape after recovering from a serious knee injury to make his first Premiership start.

The 24-year-old missed almost the whole of last season after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament in a pre-season game against Leinster but made a belated return in the 15-15 draw against Gloucester.

He said: "It's been a long time coming but I'm very excited about playing and I've finally got my chance to get out there and show what I can do.

"I knew pretty early in the week that I was going to be starting. So it gave me enough time to get myself settled and get my nerves out the way early in the week. By the time match-day came I was pretty confident in what I had to do. I knew all the plays and I knew my role in the team.

"It was fantastic running out in front of the home crowd. You don't get many better weekends than Gloucester at home."

Hylton showed that surgery has cost him none of his pace after he scored a superb try in the friendly against Benetton Treviso and then put in an impressive display against the Cherry and Whites.

"I've got a good pre-season under my belt," he said. "Phil Richards has been really good for me this year with the speed work we've been doing. I've been feeling it on the pitch and I've been feeling good and sharp.

"The knee feels as strong as it has done and going into games I don't think of it at all any more. I don't worry about it going into contact or trying to take people on the outside.

"I've been doing well in the sprint tests which shows that my pace has come back. That was the main worry about the operation but it doesn't seem to have affected it in any way so I'm really pleased with the outcome of it."

Hylton admitted he feared for his future when the likes of Nicolas Le Roux and Mark Tucker arrived in the summer.

But he has been given the nod ahead of them and retains his place in the Warriors starting line-up for tomorrow's match at London Irish.

He said: "You wouldn't be human if you didn't start to worry about your position but that is where the professionalism comes into the squad.

"You need competition for places and you've just got to prove to coaches that you are worthy of a starting shirt."