Heineken hopes add to No9's excitement

But the former Sale Shark beat the odds to feature as a replacement in Sarries' domestic battle with Harlequins last week, just five months after undergoing serious surgery.

And having returned to the matchday squad for a table-topping Premiership clash at Wembley Stadium, Wigglesworth's second taste of action will be against one of the continent's most-talked about teams and one of the globe's greatest No9s.

"I think it does add to the excitement. I would have been excited to get back into any game of rugby but I've been lucky enough to come back at this part of the season," said Wigglesworth, who will face French international foe Morgan Parra if he gets game time at Vicarage Road.

"The lads have done unbelievably well to get us into this situation with a home quarter and I'm just relishing the chance to get out there on the pitch.

"When you miss big games you get very jealous. I've tried to stay involved as much as possible and I've tried to keep my finger on what the lads are doing, but ultimately you just can't wait to get back out there.

"Parra's a quality, quality nine and he's pretty central to what they do. We know we'll have to look at him and keep him pretty quiet.

"I don't think it changes things for me, though, it's more of a team thing. I sweep behind the line but there's not much man-on-man confrontation to worry about. I obviously respect him as an opponent, though, and will try and get the better of him on the day.

"We've seen what a quality side Clermont are. The squad they've got is unbelievable. We know we're in for a big challenge but we're excited about that challenge and come Sunday afternoon we'll be ready and will take our game to them.

"We feel as a squad that we're good enough but we have to go out and prove that on Sunday."

Coming back from injury at such a vital stage of the season would be a daunting prospect for some players but Wigglesworth doesn't see it that way.

The 28-year-old may have had his campaign written off by outsiders but the man himself always intended to be back in the mix by the time Sarries were finalising their push for Heineken Cup glory.

"I got told I would be out for seven months but my attitude was that they always give you the worst prognosis and not the best," added Wigglesworth.

"I didn't write the season off. They said to me that the season was gone but my nature is to immediately question why.

"I got a call from (London Wasps prop) Tim Payne who'd come back from an ACL injury in four months. He rang me and said, 'Why are they saying you're out for the season?'

"Everyone always tells you about the ones that take a long time but he was good enough to give me a ring and tell me his experience, with the same surgeon and same operation. Tim came back in four months and I've taken five so I think I've taken a long time, not a short time.

"I didn't have much swelling and I started my rehab four or five days after I'd had my operation so I was lucky like that. I've effectively had a pre-season for the last two months. As soon as I could run, I basically started being flogged back to fitness! I'll be as fit as I have been after any pre-season so I'm ready to go.

"Andy Farell gave me some great advice before the last game. He said that everyone comes back and says that it's dead quick or that it's hard on your lungs but the reality is that the game is always quick and you're always knackered.

"If you're a scrum-half and you're not tired then what are you doing?! That's the way to look at it - that you're running around tired but so is the other scrum-half and so is every other player on the pitch."