'I'm no different to any other player, I'm here to play rugby and not to put my feet up'

‘New’ signing Tom Varndell has vowed to help Leicester Tigers climb back up the Premiership table.

Last week the midlands club announced the return of the former England international, and the Premiership Rugby’s all-time record tryscorer, returned to the field for the Tigers on the weekend, nine years after his last appearance for his first professional club.

“I’m no different to any other player, I’m here to play rugby and not to put my feet up or have a holiday,” told Leicester Tigers website.

Varndell quit Soyaux Angoulême after just six appearances, leaving for ‘family reasons’ despite being just six months into a two-year contract.

“I’m an old head now at 32 and a lot of rugby has been played between my first stint with the club and now, I don’t think anything is more special than coming back to where it all started for me. It was my first club out of school, so to wear the shirt again, which I never thought I would is amazing.

“It’s so amazing to be back and to get the run out on straight away, despite the result not going our way, I just really enjoyed it.

“It’s just nice being back, the environment is good and Geordan has the boys fired up for some big games coming up.”

Geordan’s just told me to go out there, do my best and if you’re playing and training well enough, the chances will come,” Varndell told the club website.

“There are still players here in the squad who I played with. Manu and Ben Youngs were coming through the ranks, so it’s nice to have some familiar faces here.

“Everyone has to prove themselves, it doesn’t matter who you are or how much rugby you’ve played and that’s what I want to do here in Leicester.

“I am here to help 100 per cent, Leicester Tigers is a club I hold very dear to my heart and for me it’s a priority that we finish in the top four and make the playoffs.”