KARL Dickson reckons Tom Williams would be playing for England by now if Bloodgate had never happened.
Harlequins winger Williams (pictured) is in hot form at the moment and put in another scintillating display as his side beat Gloucester last weekend.
But while team-mates Ugo Monye, Joe Marler, Chris Robshaw, Mike Brown, Danny Care and Jordan Turner-Hall will be checking in for England duty this weekend, Williams will be lining up in the coloured quarters against Northampton.
The only thing holding Williams back from international honours, according to Dickson, is his part in the Heineken Cup blood capsule scandal three years ago.
Dickson said: “I feel for Tom as he is one of the best wingers in the country at the moment, if not the best, but will forever be tainted by the memory of what happened in that one game.
“People remember him for the wrong things, and that will always be with him, but he can definitely play at international level. It's a bit like Nick Easter, who seems to be discriminated against too.”
England's autumn internationals will also deny Dickson another chance to come up against his brother, Northampton scrum-half Lee, when Quins visit Franklins Gardens.
But he admits it will give him even more motivation to try and displace not only his brother, but also Quins team-mate Danny Care, if he is to realise his ambition of a full England cap.
Dickson did win an unofficial cap earlier this year when he replaced his brother in a tour game in South Africa, but has his work cut out to take the next step up.
He added: “It will be weird playing Northampton and not seeing my brother, we normally have some great banter on the pitch – but it's good to see him involved with England again.
“I've had a taste of it myself and would love to be involved again, but I know I need to keep up the pressure on Danny at both club and international level to have a chance.
“That won't be easy as Danny is the form scrum-half at the moment and all credit to him, but it's all about healthy competition at Quins. We will be missing six players this month, but anyone can step in seamlessly.”
