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Flood has won 60 caps for England, the last of which came in 2013. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
opening the floodgates

English out-half Flood considering switch of allegiance to Germany

The 32-year-old has found himself in the international wilderness over the last number of years.

FORMER ENGLAND OUT-HALF Toby Flood is thinking about switching allegiances to play for Germany in a bid to reignite his international career.

Flood, who won the last of his 60 England caps in 2013, qualifies to play for Germany through his grandfather Albert Lieven, who left Berlin in 1936, and applied for a German passport after the Brexit vote.

In an interview with The Times, the 32-year-old said he would be prepared to declare his availability for Germany should an England recall not be forthcoming this season under Eddie Jones.

“If there was any way of trying to help a fledgling rugby country, it would interest me,” Flood said.

“I have always been proud of being German. It would be nice to go back and connect it all together.

“My mum is the last remaining true Lieven and she went back to Germany about 10 years ago to put together the family tree, so if there was a chance to connect into that, it would be great.”

With George Ford and Owen Farrell barring his way to an England recall, Flood’s international future could now lie with Germany, who are ranked 22nd in the world.

Flood was granted a release from the final two years of his contract with Top 14 outfit Toulouse to rejoin Newcastle, the club he started his career with in 2004.

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