“Sometimes it does go through your mind where I would be in the set-up if I had been playing regularly for two seasons because you compare yourself to the other scrum-halves about.

“I have watched Harry Ellis do a pretty well. I was in the same England Schools side as he was so I obviously compare how I am getting on with how he is.

“That is a frustration but it is also a driving force because you see those guys playing at that level and you think that you are capable of doing that as well.

“There is no-one that has come through and got both hands on the shirt. Harry has obviously figured in the last couple of years but is not touring, they are trying Peter Richards and Nick Walshe and I’m sure that Shaun Perry will be involved somewhere. But it’s whoever comes through and plays consistently well. It’s a matter of getting out there and getting some game time.

“As far as personal goals, I had set them as playing in the Premiership and looking to be involved in the England set-up and before Llanelli the last couple of years hadn’t worked so I have had to re-assess them."

Only 23, Stuart-Smith has already had three Guinness Premiership clubs – home town Gloucester, Leeds Tykes and Worcester Warriors – before making 21 appearances for the Stradey Park team this season.

“Leeds was a frustration because I was injured in the early part of the season whereas when I moved to Worcester it was different altogether," he said.

“I was fit but not playing and that is a hard mental thing to overcome. But since I have been at Llanelli things have gone really well.

“A lot of people have said that I have been in the wilderness but I’ve had a year of playing without any injuries and I have been working hard. There is a good standard of rugby in Wales – it’s just not as much in the public eye as the English Premiership.”

Stuart-Smith has also been out of the spotlight in Canada. A hamstring strain ruled him out of 13-7 defeat to Scotland A, which Paul Hodgson started, and Richard Wigglesworth got the nod for the 41-11 victory over Canada.

“Because there are three scrum-halves I knew at some stage I would get game time. I was on the bench against Canada and I had my fingers crossed for a start and that’s come to fruition,” he said.

“The captaincy was a surprise. But I play the same way whether I’m a leader of the side or not so I’m not too fazed by it really.”

Saxons coach Jon Callard: “Clive has been in the wilderness. He moved from Leeds to Worcester but didn’t play and he has had a lean time.

“It’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up. He is playing rugby regularly again and he now he needs to put his hand up and be counted.

“He is a leader and is well liked amongst the lads and I believe that if you are a character off the field you are a character on it.

“I can’t say what is needed at test level because I’ve never coached at test level but all I can is present opportunities for Clive and the rest of these guys.”

England Saxons v Ireland A, who won the February encounter at Kingsholm 33-18, will be shown live on SkySports 1.

England Saxons (v Ireland A, Saturday, Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, 12pm local/7pm UK): D (London Irish); R Haughton (Saracens), B Johnston (Saracens), S Vesty (Leicester Tigers), A Erinle (London Wasps); D Walder (Newcastle Falcons), C Stuart-Smith (Llanelli Scarlets, capt); D Barnes (Bath Rugby), J Buckland (Leicester Tigers), S Turner (Sale Sharks), J Hudson (Bath Rugby), N Kennedy (London Irish), K Roche (London Irish), D Seymour (Saracens), K Horstmann (Worcester Warriors). Reps: D Paice (London Irish), M Ward (Newcastle Falcons), A Beattie (Bath Rugby), L Narraway (Gloucester Rugby), R Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), M Horak (London Irish), B Woods (Newcastle Falcons).

Barclays Churchill Cup finals day schedule
Saturday June 17 (Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton)
Barclays Churchill Cup Plate final (12pm): England Saxons v Ireland A
Barclays Churchill Cup final (2.30pm): New Zealand Maori v Scotland A
Barclays Churchill Cup Bowl final (4.30pm): Canada v USA