Fit-again Ross Rennie free to focus on World Cup

Published on Wednesday 27 July 2011 18:45

ROSS Rennie can easily recall watching the Scotland squad prepare for the last World Cup while conducting pre-season training with Edinburgh, and so, on a sunny day when news centred on Hugo Southwell's unfortunate injury, he was happy to report that he was in terrific health himself.

That, in itself, is a success story for the 25-year-old openside flanker, who endured a harrowing early part to his professional career. A prodigious talent that many astute judges reckoned would hold down the Scotland No 7 shirt for years before the emergence of John Barclay, a complicated knee injury suffered against Irish opposition forced him on to the sidelines for the best part of 18 months and has left him needing good physio management to get through the rigours of a full week of training at pro level, never mind in the Test arena.

He was only able to play every second week for Edinburgh for much of last season, sat out training sessions to work on his own, and only strung some games together towards the end of the season. But he remains a unique talent, a quick, energetic and strong flanker, a player one senses could fit effortlessly into Scotland's back line, and the wide smile he sported yesterday was an indication of how things were going for him in this summer's World Cup training camp.

"It has been great so far, touch wood," he said. "The volume of training has been right up there and I've been coping very well.

"I have been doing everything and not really pulling out of anything so, hopefully, I can (play a full part in the World Cup]. In terms of training, whereby I'd normally be cutting back and out of things, I've been involved so it's been very good. We haven't played yet so I don't know the benefits of it, but it's been good for me (psychologically].

"Obviously, I got used to missing quite a few sessions and, while I wasn't training less, just differently, it is always nice to be involved, especially when you're doing something hard. When you're doing it together it means more, and you feel more part of it. I hope it's the fittest I've been. I did a wee test for myself last week - just my own little rowing test - and I did okay, so it's good.

"I can remember 2007, not making the cut for the World Cup squad and training with Edinburgh, watching all the Scottish guys making great progress and looking forward to the World Cup. That was where I wanted to be, but I didn't make it, and so it is very enjoyable being involved right now. I'm really looking forward to the next two weeks and trying to get in."

If team selections were based on rewarding effort and commitment alone Rennie would already have earned his ticket to New Zealand for how he has battled back from the wilderness, but they are not and he knows he faces tough competition to win a World Cup spot.

Scotland have nine back rows in the squad, if one includes Nathan Hines, who has played second row and blindside flanker for Scotland recently. One would expect at least five to tour, possibly including Hines or perhaps with the veteran among four locks. So, with John Barclay, Johnnie Beattie and Kelly Brown probable stick-ons, Rennie is battling it out with Richie Vernon, Alasdair Strokosch, David Denton and Rob Harley for one or two places.

Arguably, Vernon is best at No 8, Strokosch and Harley out-and-out sixes and Denton more a blindside or No 8 than an openside, which leaves Rennie with a great opportunity to claim a spot alongside Barclay in a position of huge importance to Scotland's attempts to launch the fast and fluid style of rugby the coaches believe is the key to success.

Rennie acknowledged: "The competition is intense, which is why I've just been pleased the training is going well. I have no idea what the boss is thinking, but I guess the games will be (significant]. Training and getting involved in the two warm-up games will have a huge impact on selection so it's about being ready for them and doing the things we're training to do.

"I don't think we'll be in the same condition physically than we might be in New Zealand because we're still training through it, but the Tests are going to be huge. Everyone wants to perform and feel good.

"It's a clich, but I've always said you just have to take it game by game, and see how it goes because you don't know what's going to happen. You just have to train and play as best you can and see what comes from that.

"I try not to think much about that (time out of the game], or look at it negatively, but at the experience and what I've got from it that can benefit me in terms of my training and managing things."

His smile widening, he added: "This (World Cup] is the goal. It's been the goal for a long time, in the back of the mind, just wanting to get on that plane. You don't talk about it, but now is the time to play well and perform, and get picked."