Edinburgh scrum-half Nic Groom reveals his passion for wild water swimming

Edinburgh's Nic Groom takes a break from training at the Oriam. Picture: Bill Murray / SNS

His prediction that South Africa would win the recent World Cup, if they lost their opening match to the All Blacks, came good which marked him out as a thoughtful guy worth listening to and, this week, he revealed his passion for wild water swimming.

“I come from Cape Town and I grew up swimming. It’s something I really like. It’s something I try to do wherever I am so I’ve been for a few swims out in Edinburgh and up to Loch Lomond, it’s something I enjoy doing.

“I’ve been swimming in Portobello and Cramond and up to the Trossachs. I’ve not been over the winter but I’m dying to go. We have some time off in a couple of months and I haven’t been any further up north than the Trossachs so that’s something I’m really looking forward to doing.”

Groom said he gets a lot of benefits from his favourite pastime, and values the opportunity to switch off from rugby occasionally.

“I was a swimmer more than a rugby player when I was growing up and being in the water, everything quietens down and the cold and other elements are there.

“There’s a lot of noise vying for our attention and I feel that when you go out and just get into it… it doesn’t have to be long – I can assure you that it’s not long. But just getting in is good for the body. They put horses in the salt water so they can race the next day so there must be something in it.”

Groom admitted that he hadn’t yet tempted any of his team-mates to join him in the icy depths but that he was getting his message across. His inspiration is Guinness world record holder Wim Hof, a Dutchman who is known as The Iceman.

“Nobody has joined me yet. There are a few boys I have talked into doing hydrotherapy where we go between hot and cold baths. There is a good crew now doing it. Damien Hoyland is a fan of the cold. Jamie Farndale, Matt Scott like the hot and cold.

“The theory is the real cold is supposed to clear your mind of everything and that survival instinct will kick in. We try and channel our inner Wim Hof, pictured inset, who is a cold therapy guru. He hosts these ice bath parties.”

Groom said the swimming had helped him recover from injury in the past.

“I can’t scientifically prove it but it is something I enjoy doing and it is a real cleansing thing to do,” he added.

Groom spent five years at the Cape Town-based Stormers in the early stages of his career before a two-year stint in the English Premiership with Northampton Saints between 2016 to 2018, during which he scored 35 points in 49 appearances at Franklin’s Gardens.

Groom became a regular in the Saints’ starting side and has enjoyed a taste of Champions Cup rugby.

The 5ft 8in Springbok ‘A’ cap returned to his native South Africa at the start of the 2018/19 season with Golden Lions, making 19 appearances for the Johannesburg-based club.

Before he dives back into the sea and lochs, Groom is currently focused on this weekend’s European Challenge Cup return clash with Wasps in Coventry, looking to build on a fine bonus-point 31-20 victory over the English side at home last Friday.

“Maybe we saw glimpses of what we can do when we played them which was really encouraging,” said the 29-year-old. “The great thing for us is that we played well and beat a top side.

“We are playing against a world-class set of players who on their day can be really special. There is not much you can change in a couple of days. We need to rally together and keep an eye on their superstars and grind it out. We are playing away which is a challenge but we will take a lot of confidence from last week. We have two good training days and are looking at areas where we want to improve on.

“How do we improve with the ball? How can we be more effective? If we have that frame of mind regardless who we are playing against we will be in a good position.”

The health benefits of open water swimming

The popularity of open water or “wild” swimming continues to rise, with participants extolling the numerous health benefits it can offer – and Scotland’s stunning coastlines and beautiful lochs make the country a great location for it.

From a potent boost in circulation to a reduction in inflammation, the physical effects are said to be huge but open-water swimmers often say the psychological and meditative benefits are the biggest attraction. It reduces uric acid, creating a better stress response, and decreases the stress hormone cortisol.

Top locations for wild swimming in Scotland include Dalmore Beach in Lewis, the famous lochs of Ness and Awe, the River Spey and Firth of Forth.

Open water swimming was reintroduced to the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, with Britain’s Keri-Anne Payne winning a silver medal in the women’s 10-kilometre event.

More information: www.wildswimming.co.uk/all-scotland