WHILE Chris Latham cannot claim to have been part of the Worcester set-up since he was five years old like young team-mate Jake Abbott, the Aussie superstar insists he now considers the Faithful City home.

After his debut season with the Warriors was curtailed by a dislocated shoulder and fractured shoulder blade in March, Latham returned with his family to Queensland to recuperate.

However, after just a few weeks Down Under, the 78-cap Wallaby admits he was already missing his adopted home in England.

The full-back said: “To be honest, when we left, we wanted nothing more than just to get home.

“I had the injury and I was bitterly disappointed with that and I just really wanted to get home.

“We’d planned to go for about eight or nine weeks but after about week six my wife and I both said that we couldn’t wait to get back home to Worcester.

“Coming back here, it’s felt for the first time — like here is home and we feel comfortable. That’s been the good thing about going back to Australia.”

During a stellar career, there is precious little Latham hasn’t achieved.

However, fiercely driven as is his way, the 34-year-old is determined to drive Worcester forward — starting with achieving a place in the Heineken Cup.

He added: “Playing Heineken Cup rugby is definitely something I have ambitions to do, and top six in the Premiership would be good.

“I have played Super 14, I have played Test match rugby, I have played in the Premiership and Challenge Cup and, of the opportunities that I’ve had, the Heineken Cup is the only competition that I haven’t been able to play yet.

“Winning games regardless of what competition it is breeds confidence.

“Confidence is a very hard thing to obtain but, once you’ve got it, winning becomes a habit and becomes very easy.”

Worcester News: Tom Guest Worcester News Twitter button