Twickenham’s John Collins will go into the 2016 Olympics rowing regatta confident of a medal after ending nearly 10 years of hurt in the final World Cup meet before the trip to Rio.

Leander Club’s Collins and partner Jonny Walton produced one of their career-best performances to take silver in the open men’s double sculls in Poland on Sunday.

They led for most of the race and New Zealand needed all their final sprint speed to snatch the gold, with France third.

“It’s the first time that we have been on the international podium since 2007 and it’s such a relief to be there,” said the 27-year-old.

“We knew we had it in us, but we really got it right today.”

Five golds in a medal haul of 11 in Poznan has put a spring in the step of British rowing’s performance director Sir David Tanner.

But he has warned there remains plenty of work to be done between now and August to convert that success into Olympic silverware.

“We have really moved on since Lucerne which we needed to,” he added.

“This will give us confidence to go on our training camps and prepare for a strong Olympic regatta.

“We know we still have more hard yards to put in.”

Richmond-based Alan Campbell secured a bronze medal in the men’s single sculls, the same event and same result he achieved at the London 2012 Olympics.

Former St Mary’s University student and Molesey Boat Club star Moe Sbihi enjoyed gold medal success in the men’s four crew.

“You talk about scenarios pre-race and you are nervous because you don’t know what might happen. But we stuck to the plan and that felt good,” he added.