Sunday's game against Montpellier has come slightly too early for me – six days early, to be precise.

I was desperate to play this weekend to prove my fitness after a calf injury, but I have not done any scrummaging yet.

I am back running now and will hopefully step things up on Saturday, Monday and then again on Tuesday. If things go well, I have found a game to play in next weekend.

The Barbarians are playing at Llanelli to officially open their new ground and I have asked if I can play. If I could get 20 minutes or half-an-hour, that would be grand, and would hopefully then put me back in contention for the Newcastle game on February 13.

It is crucial that I play before that match and I have spoken to Richard Hill, who said it would be fine for me to play. He is quite keen for me to go and get some game-time. Confidence has been high this week – and there was plenty of positive stuff to come out of the win in Toulon. One was that we scored four tries, while we also put the things we have been doing on the training park into action.

With Newcastle on the horizon, that was very pleasing, and now we have to continue building toward that, starting with Montpellier tomorrow.

Sadly, the big story dominating the headlines in rugby this week has been Matt Stevens' failed drugs test.

The reaction has been mixed and I can see both sides. The players are publicly backing him, which I would expect, because they are his friends and Matt is a very likeable guy.

But business is business and he has let down Bath Rugby and dragged their name – and the sport – through the mud this week.

If I can help or support Matt in any way then I will, but rugby really needs to start reclaiming the back pages rather than the front pages.

I am totally against drugs in sport or in society, but I am pleased that Matt has addressed the fact he has a problem and is seeking help. I think he deserves a fair bit of respect for that, if not for making the mistake in the first place.