GRAEME Morrison was shocked to discover this week that Daryl Gibson will be leaving Glasgow to return to his native New Zealand, but the rising Scottish star admitted it is time he started carving his own name into Test rugby history in the No 12 jersey.
After an exciting first season on Glasgow's books five years ago Morrison has had to develop largely in the shadows of Andy Henderson with both Glasgow and Scotland. Then All Black Gibson joined from Leicester last summer and the battle to win first
-team recognition intensified.
However, when handed an opportunity by Scotland 'A', Morrison grasped it with tries against the Italian and Irish second-strings in swashbuckling victories. Suddenly, the 25-year-old was moving, up into Frank Hadden's national squad, as part of the coach's desire to uncover a quicker, more threatening back-line through a turgid RBS Six Nations Championship. He did the job well enough even in defeat in Italy to start both Tests in Argentina and play a try-scoring part in the Buenos Aires victory. His tears of joy were mixed with those of regret that the season was ending so soon.
His demeanour this week, however, said a lot about how his confidence has risen in the past six months. He returned from "some R&R and home-cooking" back in Hong Kong with his parents – he was born there – to find pain in his knee in early pre-season training. Scans last week revealed a torn cartilage and he underwent an operation on Friday, but he was pretty sanguine yesterday about a return to rehab.
He said: "I'm hopeful that I'll be back in full training in three to four weeks and fit for the pre-season friendly matches. It's quite a minor thing apparently; the physios are positive I can shake it off quite quickly, so I'm not worried. I'm looking forward to starting the season from where I left off in Argentina."
The departure of Gibson, expected at the end of next month, will affect him and the team, Morrison said, and mostly in a negative sense, but the centre feels it may be another sign that he has to step on to a new level of maturity and leadership.
"Obviously there was a bit of competition there with Daryl, Andy Henderson and me, so you'd maybe think it would be better for us he's going, but to be honest I think he was planning to be more backs coach than a player this season anyway.
"That's where we'll miss him most. He had some new ideas and brought a freshness to the backs. That's not to say Sean (Lineen, head coach] doesn't do that as well, but he's got a big remit as head coach. I don't know yet whether he will step in and do that job again, and I'd have no problems if he did, but you are bound to miss someone of Daryl's experience.
"But it's up to us to learn from him. I am by no means going to try and fill his shoes, but I've been told it's time to grow up – by a few people! – and it's right. I am one of the longest-serving players at Glasgow now and I've gained a lot of experience which I've got to share and use to our benefit."
Morrison has played in both inside and outside centre positions, but he feels Hadden likes him at 12 and he dearly wants to build on his 11 caps. That means an intriguing battle with long-time friend Henderson, the more experienced centre still hurting at being dropped down the pecking order last season and determined to win his place back with Glasgow and Scotland. Though Henderson can also play wider out, Max Evans is now gunning for the No 13 jersey, which should make for good competition.
Morrison added: "Even without Daryl the competition is getting stronger, so you have to be at the top of your game to play regularly, and playing regularly is the key. The end of last season was the first time I had a decent run of games, which helped my consistency and confidence.
"We've had some friendly banter with the Edinburgh boys about the number of their guys in the Scotland squad, and while that's just a secondary issue, we want to finish higher than them this season and have more of our boys picking up the same confidence I have from being involved with Scotland."
