McConnochie has emerged as a late contender for England's World Cup squad

His eye-catching performances for Bath have caught the attention of England

The 27-year-old joined Bath last summer after a successful spell in Sevens

Bath's new sensation, Ruaridh McConnochie, has emerged as a shock late contender for a call-up to England's World Cup squad, at the end of his first season as a professional in 15-a-side rugby.

The 27-year-old, who can operate at full back and wing, joined the club last summer after a successful spell in Sevens, where he won a silver medal for Team GB at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

ADVERTISEMENT

McConnochie has had a phenomenal impact and last week he claimed three individual prizes at Bath's end-of-season awards dinner.

Ruaridh McConnochie has emerged as a shock late contender for England’s World Cup squad

Click here to resize this module

Having rapidly established himself at his club, his country are now interested too. Sportsmail understands that McConnochie's accomplished and eye-catching performances for Bath have made a profound impression on the England coaches and he is now being regarded as a possible 'bolter' for the World Cup squad.

As a player who can operate at full-back and on the wing, but also cover outside centre if required, he would provide utility value, while also delivering the sort of X-factor threat that head coach Eddie Jones is known to crave within his squad.

It is thought that 36 players will take part in England's pre-tournament training camps this summer and most selection decisions have been made, but there is still scope for one or two on the fringes to make a late bid for a seat on the flight to Tokyo.

The 27-year-old full back or wing joined Bath last summer after a successful spell in Sevens

McConnochie may find himself in that category. This weekend, he will play for Bath against Leicester at Welford Road.

Show Player

After that, he could feature in the England XV which will take on the Barbarians at Twickenham on June 2 - or be held back in order to take part in the training camps in Surrey and London at the end of next month and start of July.

The fact that he is even being considered as a candidate is a tribute to his astonishing progress in recent months. He first played for Bath's first XV last October, but by that time he had already given the club's out-going director of rugby, Todd Blackadder, cause to herald his supreme commitment and potential.

'He's quite quiet and an unassuming kind of a guy, but there's a lion stuck under that shirt of his,' said the former All Blacks captain.

'He's absolutely hungry for success and the way he trains, he's going to get there. He can't be denied. He's coming through like a freight train.'

Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder has already labelled McConnochie a 'superstar'

Since then, Blackadder has watched McConnochie take the Premiership by storm and last month he said: 'In our eyes, he is a superstar. He has got great acceleration, but his fight in contact is probably his point of difference. He is electric when he gets the ball. That boy is simply class.'

ADVERTISEMENT

His career lift-off has come relatively late in the 15-a-side game. McConnochie, who was born in Kent, previously played for Nuneaton and Hartpury College. Sevens was where he made a name for himself.

Now he has a chance to chase England honours in both formats; an increasingly rare feat, but one previously achieved by the likes of Matt Dawson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Danny Care, Christian Wade, Ugo Monye, Mathew Tait and Tom Varndell.

Each competing nation must select and submit a 31-man World Cup squad by September 2. England are likely to take five back-three players and competition is fierce in that area, with Elliot Daly, Jonny May, Anthony Watson, Jack Nowell, Joe Cokanasiga, Chris Ashton and Ollie Thorley also vying for inclusion.