THE abundance of fit and in-form props at Saints has allowed Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook to do what coaches have been looking to do for years and move into the back row.

Although energetic Londoner started the campaign at loose forward, injuries to Atelea Vea and Joe Greenwood have seen the pacy packman revert to second row.

And he is relishing the extra room and attacking opportunities that come with the shift away from the middle – although some weeks, when injuries have struck this term, he has found himself being moved further wide to centre.

Of his new role McCarthy-Scarsbrook said: “I have good people outside of me with Burnsy who does not shut up – and centres like Moth (Matty Dawson), Josh Jones and Percy as well. It is good because they all communicate well.

“I get some nice passes off Burnsy and get to run at smaller fellas so it does not hurt as much.

“It is good to get wide - at first I was thinking 'oh my god, I have got so much space I don't know what to do with it. It is good - I have a good partnership with Travis Burns.

“It was a big loss to the team with Tils and Joe Greenwood playing so well – but I have just gone out there and slotted in.”

Coaches from Royce Simmons, who first signed him, through to Nathan Brown have all wanted to use McCarthy-Scarsbrook’s explosive pace but have never had that luxury.

McCarthy-Scarsbrook laughs out loud when he says: “It has always been the case. Coaches have said ‘you will be moving out there’ - but most of the time I was getting moved out even wider to centre to make me panic a little bit more.

“I have utility written over me, Browny wanted to move me but we had injuries in the forwards so it never came to that.”

The 29-year-old Millwall fan from Bermondsey has a reputation for being a ‘motor mouth’ off the field and that sometimes gets him hot water.

But on the field, he can regularly be seen using his loud voice to congratulate, encourage or chide his teammates in the huddle.

Increasingly, with time, we have seen a more mature leadership attitude from the popular packman.

“I just shout - that is what people see,” he said.

“Sometimes it is with happiness and other times it’s anger. If they have scored people should look away because I will be swearing quite a lot.

“But overall I feel I am playing all right. I am happy where I am and getting used to second row because still in my head I am a prop and keep leaning into the middle.”

Saints have strung together two wins to get back on an even keel following a tough Easter spell that was punctuated with a series of injuries.

But with Luke Walsh and Travis Burns back in the team, and Jon Wilkin reverting to back row, fortunes have turned around.

McCarthy-Scarsbrook observed: “We had a tough couple of weeks at Easter, a jam packed two weeks was tough on the squad. The young kids that came in that did exceptionally well.

“We are playing some good rugby and are attacking well.

“It is good to have Luke Walsh back in the team. He is a very calming influence. We have missed him and his influence on us.

“His kicking game is second to none. He came on against Leeds and got a 40/20 straight away. It shows what we have been missing.

“It is good to have a little general back.”