HE MIGHT have been the star of the Commonwealth Games rugby sevens tournament, but Mathew Tait's hardman image was shattered yesterday - when he broke down in tears during a phone call to his mum.

The Wolsingham-born 20-year-old scored nine scintillating tries as England won five of their six matches in Melbourne.

But, just about he was about to receive his silver medal, Tait was stopped in his tracks in front of a 50,000-strong Telstra Dome crowd.

With his mother, Julie, ringing to offer her congratulations, the teenager was unable to control his emotions following the greatest achievement of his career.

Given the year he has just endured, in which he was unceremoniously dumped from Andy Robinson's senior England side, it is hardly a surprise.

"It was an incredible experience from start to finish," said Tait, who was embarking on a double celebration last night after his club, Newcastle Falcons, confirmed they had agreed the terms of a new one-year deal. "The crowd were amazing and the sheer scale of it was like nothing I had experienced before.

"I have already had loads of texts from back home and my mum called not long after the game had finished.

"I was crying down the phone because she was telling me how proud she was of me. That was really nice.

"It's definitely something I will remember for the rest of my life, although I have to admit that the emotions were a bit mixed.

"I'm so disappointed that we didn't win gold. I'm pleased with the way I played in the tournament but, to be honest, I'd swap all of that for a gold medal right now."

As England demolished favourites Fiji at the semi-final stage, it looked as though a gold medal would be exactly what he was getting.

Having already scored a hat-trick in England's quarter-final win over Samoa, Tait scored the try of the tournament in the 21-14 defeat of Fiji, out-stripping William Ryder, supposedly the fastest rugby player in the world, in an 80-metre sprint to the line.

Another try in the final underlined his undoubted class and, while it was insufficient to prevent a 29-21 defeat to New Zealand, it cemented his reputation as the number one sevens player in the world.

With England's 15-man side currently crying out for some midfield creativity, it must also have given Robinson food for thought ahead of this evening's Six Nations finale at Twickenham.

"I think Mathew has the potential to be the best player I have ever played with," said his skipper, Simon Amor. "And that's at either sevens or the 15-man version of the game.

"His performances in Melbourne over the last few days have been sensational and I think he's just what England and Andy Robinson are looking for."

England Sevens coach Mike Friday was similarly enthusiastic about Tait's future, but perhaps the most meaningful assessment of his abilities came from Kiwi boss Gordon Tietjens.

The New Zealanders had spent two hours studying videos in an attempt to work out a way of stopping the youngster's surging runs, only to concede defeat and turn their attentions elsewhere.

"He is one outstanding footballer," said Tietjens. "In sevens, you need a player with an X-factor and he certainly has the X-factor. I can't believe he is not in the England side now."

Friday will be reporting to Robinson next week but, while the clamour for Tait's promotion to the senior ranks is unlikely to subside, the Sevens coach is desperate to keep his leading light in the short-form of the game, at least until next month's event in Hong Kong.

"Robbo will be shocked and surprised having seen that," he said. "But he will also be very excited.

"Robbo is very mindful that timing is everything. When Mat Tait becomes a part of England he will bring a new dimension. He's got a big future. But I'll tell him he can't have him before Hong Kong!"

Next month's event could well be Tait's last on the sevens stage because, next season, Falcons director of rugby Rob Andrew will be asking him to commit to the 15-man game.

Despite yesterday's success, the former Barnard Castle School pupil is only too happy to oblige, a move Andrew feels could ultimately earn him a place in next summer's World Cup.

"We've seen from his performances in Melbourne just what a sensational player he is," said Andrew. "Winning a medal in Australia is a fitting way to finish off what has been a hugely successful career in the sevens code.

"We will now look to translate that form onto the 15-a-side stage, and over the next season we hope to see Mathew develop in the Newcastle centres along with Jamie Noon.

"The 2007 Rugby World Cup is a real target for him as he tries to break back in to the full England side and, in a team full of young English players here at Newcastle, Taity realises this is the best place to fulfil those ambitions."