DAN SCARBROUGH, the England three-quarter signed from Leeds Tykes, has set his sights on a return to action in March after missing the last four months through injury.

The 26-year-old required reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder after sustaining the injury during a routine passing exercise in training and has also undergone a scope on his right knee during his spell on the sidelines.

"It's been very frustrating," said Scarbrough, who had hoped to press his claims for a place in the England side by moving south. "I've not had a serious injury before but this has been quite a long one. It's very stiff at the minute, but I'm trying to get rid of this stiffness and get back around March. I've had a few complications but hopefully I'm still on track."

Saracens were aware of the weakness in Scarbrough's shoulder when he arrived in the summer but decided the risk on a player, who had plundered 27 tries in 59 appearances for Leeds Tykes, was one worth taking.

The move, however, back-fired when Scarbrough suffered a blow to the shoulder in scoring his first try for the club against Worcester and again in the game against Northampton before he finally broke down in training ahead of the trip to Newcastle.

"I've had a bit of a problem with it for the past few years," he explained. "It's always been niggling me. I had dislocated it before and apparently I did it in the Worcester game when I scored and it just popped out and went back again.

"I was just doing a bit of passing at the end of the session and I snapped my bicep so we then thought enough is enough and I had it done."

Scarbrough's first major spell on the sidelines has particularly been difficult to stomach over the last few weeks as he has been forced to watch his new team crash out of two cup competitions.

"I'm not a good watcher of rugby and to sit and to watch the grippers we have had over the last few weeks is hard work. It was going to be a big season for me," he added rather ruefully.

"I'm 26 now and I'm supposed to be approaching the peak of my career so to be on the sidelines is disappointing. When you come down to a new club you want to do things and show what you can do to your new supporters."

Scarbrough's sentiments will be echoed by Alex Sanderson, the fearless flanker who has made just five appearances since signing from Sale Sharks.

"Alex has been battling with his back all season and in his first game back after eight months he's throwing himself all over the park like a mad man," said Scarbrough.

"There is no second or third gear with him - just fifth. But hopefully he will be back around the same time I am, if not before, and then we can add something to the side."

Steve Diamond will hope the duo's rehabilitation goes a lot better than their attempts to attend a recent furniture show in Birmingham.

The pair, who originally hail from the north, somehow ended up on the M11 instead of the M1 and eventually arrived over two hours late, much to the amusement of Richard Hill who had agreed to meet his international colleagues at the exhibition.

During his enforced lay-off, Scarbrough has also enrolled in a coaching course and even spent time behind the scenes at the club's headquarters in Rigby House, but it has been the revival under Steve Diamond that has been of most interest to the likeable wing-cum-full-back.

"I think we have been progressing really, really well," he said.

"We have had a couple of stumbling blocks in the last few weeks, but we get back to league mode this week and we have been going quite well in the league.

"Hopefully we can keep that going and by the time I come back I'll first get myself back in the side, and then help us push on and finish strongly ahead of next year.

"But you can see the progression the boys are making but we just need to start winning the close games."