England prop Duncan Bell says it is club rather than country that is foremost in his mind as he prepares to make a comeback from an injury picked up in the gym.

The tighthead was last week named in the England Saxons squad to face Ireland A at The Rec on January 31. But Bell, who played in all three of England's Autumn Internationals, has revealed that he has effectively been told by the Saxons management he will not feature in the game.

The 35-year-old, whose back went into spasm last week due to a strain picked up during a weights session, now says all his energies are being directed into performing well for Bath.

"I'm not even thinking about the Saxons because I've spoken to the England management and I am unlikely to be involved in that, so my focus is completely on the club," said Bell, who is out of contract with Bath at the end of the season.

"I was told I will probably not be used by the Saxons so I presume they will play the younger guys.

"I wanted to be in the top England squad – the Elite Player Squad – and then I was told Julian White would be in there in place of me.

"I tried to back my corner but it wasn't to be. I was very disappointed.

"I can't really argue – well, I tried to argue! They were pleased at how I had acquitted myself in the Autumn Internationals and I was fairly pleased with my form, but since coming back from the autumn games I haven't really played, which has been frustrating. Really, I just want to get on and play."

Bell's thirst for action has been frustrated in recent weeks by Bath head coach Steve Meehan's decision to pick fellow Red Rose front-row David Wilson at number three.

Since the end of the autumn internationals two months ago, Bell has played just 143 minutes of rugby for Bath, with the majority of those minutes clocked up as a replacement.

Last week he was gearing up to travel to Paris for the Heineken Cup match with Stade Francais when up popped another stumbling block – a minor injury in the gym.

"I felt a click in my back and woke up the next day and was in spasm," explained Bell.

"I trained for the rest of the week when I probably should have taken time out.

"I aggravated it and by Friday just had to walk off. I'm a bit disappointed with myself because I'm definitely old enough to have known better.

"I would have loved to have played out in France. I was desperate to try and be fit because Stade Francais out in Paris... yes please, I'll play in that one.

"I'm disappointed as I haven't played a lot since coming back from the autumn internationals. That's been frustrating.

"If you play all the time and get injured you take that on the chin, but I haven't been playing a lot of rugby and I've got injured. And there's been a game cancelled through the cold weather as well.

"It feels like I haven't played rugby for a while so it would be nice to get back on the field."

Bath have everything to play for in the Anglo-Welsh LV= Cup, with victories at Leicester a week tomorrow and Sale at The Rec on February 6 likely to be enough to put them through to the semi-finals.

"Those two games are about getting Butch James and Olly Barkley back from injury but it's also all about winning," said Bell.

"We want to use our exit from Europe as a springboard into the LV= Cup and the Premiership. We want to get on a winning streak."