The kitbag languished in a corner of the kitchen, a nagging reminder of crushing disappointment. Gavin Duffy had no inclination to go near it for about two weeks, content to let the bitter memories become less vivid.

Relegation with Harlequins from the Zurich Premiership would have been distressing enough but the manner of the club's demise - salvation was a coat of paint away but the penalty kick drifted just wide - made it all the more galling.

It would have been so easy for the 23-year-old international to return home to Connacht. His province wanted him and came calling, but he wasn't prepared to walk away. Of the team that played Sale Sharks on the fateful final day of the season, 12 players decided to remain at the Stoop.

Jeremy Staunton and Roy Winters were released, going to Wasps and Bristol respectively. Prop Jon Dawson had already agreed a switch to Wasps. Dean Richards was enticed to take over the coaching duties, to be assisted by the former New South Wales Waratahs backs coach Andrew Friend. Former All Black outhalf Andrew Mehrtens also put pen to paper. And there will be two or three close-season additions to the pack.

These changes helped Duffy in his decision to stay with the club.

"I looked around at what was happening," he says. "Lessons were learnt off the pitch - maybe that you can't cut corners on the pitch while trying to develop off it. I don't think we'll be going down that road.

"Hopefully we can be back in the Premiership in 12 months, stronger and better than we left it. It's a long-term view.

"I'd go back to Connacht like that if needs be but I just felt that I want to achieve something with Harlequins in England, a little unfinished business. I wasn't ready to go home yet. It would have been the easier option to shrug and head home after Harlequins were relegated."

Selection for Ireland's summer tour to Japan helped assuage the disappointment but also revived a familiar conundrum for the player: the question of his best position. At Cistercian Roscrea he played outhalf; with the Leinster Schools it was inside centre; the Ireland Schools chose him at outhalf and outside centre; the national under-21 side had him at outhalf and centre.

Connacht opted to run him at fullback and wing, as did Harlequins, while for the national senior side his three caps have come on the wing and at outside centre. He could probably make a decent fist of scrumhalf.

That versatility is a two-edged sword and Duffy grasps the issue of his best position gingerly.

"No, I don't mind (where I play) as long as I am playing well. I don't want to state a preference nor do I want to get into chopping and changing just because I have had a bad game in one position or another. From a selfish perspective you look at Brian O'Driscoll playing 13 for Ireland and think that it is going to be difficult to dislodge him.

"While we'd all love to challenge him and get his position, you have to be realistic about it. Eddie (O'Sullivan) likes players to be able to play in all back-three positions and hopefully I could also act as back-up for centre. If I don't make the starting 15 then I might be able to get the bench spot.

"As long as I keeping asking coaches questions about why they aren't picking me at fullback. I have only played twice in the last three or four years at outside centre and that was the season just gone with Harlequins and it only came about because of injury.

"I'm now being seen as an outside centre and I'm wondering 'have I not produced the goods at fullback?' It's important that coaches tell you what's going on and whether it's short-term or long-term in terms of the position they want you to play."

He'd play anywhere for Ireland. That's not an issue. In the first test in Osaka, Duffy showed his innate footballing ability to create a try for Kevin Maggs. Tomorrow he'll start at outside centre again but may finish up at fullback, depending on how the game pans out.

Not an issue for Mr Versatile.