David Ferguson: Denton takes a giant leap towards first Scotland cap

The 21-year-old scored a stunning final try in the dramatic 27-24 win over Racing Metro 92 in Paris on Friday night, Phil Godman’s last-gasp drop-goal securing only the club’s second Heineken Cup win in France in 15 years. Edinburgh are aiming for a first place in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals since 2004, but it will not be entirely in their hands.

They can beat London Irish in their final pool match on Sunday with a bonus point and not top the pool as Cardiff remain in pole position having beaten Irish on Saturday and, retaining the advantage of more match points in their games with Edinburgh, will progress if they claim the same or more points from their home match with Racing on Sunday.

But Glasgow’s defeat to Leinster yesterday ensured that Edinburgh will finish among the top five runners-up in the Heineken Cup pools. The top two will go through to the Heineken last eight and the next three into the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Denton is keen to avoid the mathematics and, after an early-morning return to Scotland, was still enjoying the memory of a great French win. “It was incredible,” he said. “From straight after that drop-goal went over until I woke up in the morning I was just over the moon. Winning a game like that in France is definitely the best result I’ve experienced, especially after not being involved in the 48-47 win at home against Racing and I was carted off early in the win at London Irish as well.

“But for everyone in terms of the timing of it, this was special, because it is do-or-die now in the tournament. The manner in which we won it too, the way we controlled the game at the finish to set up that drop-goal, was very pleasing too. Looking back on it, Phil [Godman] was very far back, but he was obviously keen to make sure no-one got a hand on it, and he made a very difficult kick look easy.”

Denton’s finish was no less impressive, the 6ft 5in back-rower revealing the blend of pace, strength and evasive skills that have had the Scotland selectors avidly following his progress since he pitched up in the country from school in South Africa two years ago and started playing for Edinburgh Accies.

He recalled: “There was some obvious space on the left-hand side and fortunately Greig [Laidlaw] spotted that and when he threw out the long pass I looked up and saw a prop in front of me so I thought I’d chance my luck. And I got outside him and then saw the line and went for it.

“There has been talk about people shouting for me to pass the ball, but I knew I was in the moment I got the ball and I wasn’t going to stuff that up. I don’t know if some of the boys were happy, but I knew I’d get there.

“I’ve always known that I’ve had that pace but, if anything, something I’ve lacked is the fitness to make sure I’ve got it to the end of the match, so I was really happy to see that it was close to 60 minutes and I even had a winger chasing me down and I was fine with that.”

He has played most of his rugby with Edinburgh at blindside flanker, which has helped to improve his physical stature, but Kelly Brown has the experience and proven ability at Test level to start there. The No 8 jersey is open, however.

Richie Vernon is doing well at Sale, but has not yet done enough to nail the Scotland jersey, and Johnnie Beattie has dropped off Glasgow’s radar and expected to leave the club at the end of the season. Ryan Wilson has impressed but Denton has grasped the opportunity to show that he can not only cope with the next level below the Test game – Heineken Cup – but be a force in it.

Barring injury, he now looks a certainty to make his debut in the Scotland No 8 jersey in the Calcutta Cup as head coach Andy Robinson seeks to inject some fresh threat to his side.

Denton, whose mother is Scottish and grandparents still live in Troon, does not deny that, since he trained with the national squad in the summer, a navy jersey has rarely strayed far from his mind.

“It’s obviously something I’ve been thinking about the whole season, as anyone would. I take every Edinburgh match as it is, because they are so important and I love playing here, but you do think about the next step. I would love to be involved in the first game of the Six Nations against England.”

He also backs himself to take on the more pressurised No 8 role, which hands him the extra responsibility of making the right decisions with good and bad ball at the base of the scrum, as well as making headway in the quicker and more physical Test arena. He said: “I feel very comfortable at six and at eight. I feel I can contribute in both positions because I’ve got the skill-set to play well at eight, and I’ve got the raw physicality to do well at six, too.

“There is more pressure at eight, but I feel very confident there now. At the end of last season I wasn’t as confident because I hadn’t played as many games, but I must be above 25 games now and I’m feeling really confident about No 8 and feel I can do that job.

“The last few weeks have been massive in terms of putting my name forward for that. The Paris game will definitely have helped me. What I offer I think can make a difference in either position, but I’d love to just get a chance anywhere in a Scotland squad.”

He has one more game, however, with London Irish standing in the way of a memorable Heineken Cup finish on Sunday before that dream moves to the front of his mind. He enjoyed a romantic weekend with his girlfriend at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews after returning from Paris, the venue to which he will return as a Scotland squad member in a fortnight.

“It’s good to get away for a day or two, but Monday it’s back to training and the focus is on nothing but London Irish,” he added. “It is so much fun to be involved in a winning team and believe we are a force to be reckoned with, but we have to go out and make sure we win on Sunday to give ourselves the best chance of reaching the next stage of the tournament.

“And then I can think about Scotland and maybe returning to St Andrews hotel to think about the Six Nations. That would be nice, not to mention it costs less when I go with Scotland.”

And there it was, the final evidence that Denton is a Scotland internationalist in the waiting.