Glasgow’s loss can be Scotland’s gain as Mark Bennett blooms in France

The 19-year-old shocked Scottish rugby this time last year when he turned down a pro contract with Glasgow Warriors to instead head to Clermont. The player from Cumnock had made an impression in the Ayr side and won the man-of-the-match award in Ayr’s Scottish Cup final win over Melrose. But, after weighing up a Warriors academy place against one in Clermont, he opted to cross the Channel.

He continued to surprise by leapfrogging the club’s under-19, under-21 and under-23 squads to play for the full Clermont side, the French Top 14 champions in 2010 and semi-finalists in 2011, in pre-season friendlies against Brive and the Scarlets.

However, a quick turn in training brought the agony of ruptured cruciate ligaments and his season was halted before it had really begun. The then 18-year-old returned to action in late February and after tomorrow’s U23s final against Perpignan will fly home to join the Scotland U20s squad heading to South Africa for the Junior World Championship wishing the season could go on and on.

“It’s has been quite a year and even with the injury I don’t regret making the move,” he said.

“It was tough at first because it was my first professional pre-season, and the level of fitness they expect and were pushing me towards was much higher than anything I’d experienced before. My routine for the first month was eat, train and sleep, because I was so tired, but that’s the same for any new pro player and I wanted to show that I could mix it with them all; that I’d come here for a reason and not just to make up the numbers.

“I have been training all season with the main squad, and it’s been great to learn from players such as Aurelien Rougerie and Wesley Fofana.

Aurelien is a great player and brilliant to work with. He’s really laid-back, and quite casual, but he looks after me and if there’s anything I’m unsure about he’s always there to provide advice. Everyone’s the same really; it’s like a big family and everyone looks out for each other.

“On my first day they asked me to speak to the boys and I didn’t have much French, and they said just introduce yourself in English. So I did and sat down, and Vernon [Cotter, Kiwi head coach] said ‘great, now in English please?’

“I’m known as ‘Casper’ because I’m the whitest guy here. But it’s good banter. It’s not like ‘you’re the youngest, so you just stay out of the way’. You’re straight in.”

Bennett pays tribute to the support he has received from his fellow Scots at Clermont, Jason White, Nathan Hines and team manager Neil McIlroy, after his injury, and his agent, the ex-Scotland full-back Rowen Shepherd of Red Sky Management, for helping him maintain a positive outlook.

“It was the first time I’d had a serious injury, in a new country, so it was tough, but they were great and it never crossed my mind to go home. You learn to adapt.

“I was able to spend every morning in French class, so can hold conversations now without looking stupid, and though I’m still the same weight I’m a lot stronger in my upper body, which I needed. The guys here are in really good shape and very strong, but, like Fofana, they’re lean and explosive.”

Another aspect of Bennett’s game to improve significantly is passing. Like many young Scots his pace and ability took him galloping through the age-grades in Scotland without much pressure to improve his handling. “You can’t get away with it here,” he said. “But that was something I hoped to improve.

“The French are renowned for their passing, and we spend a lot of time on technique and executing moves. It’s the same from the academy to the first team. You can come out sometimes and be just passing the ball for 40 minutes, which was strange at first, but definitely makes a difference.”

Bennett has also benefited from exposure to regular game-time, and the ability to develop skills under pressure, alongside some of the best youngsters in France.

So even with no under-23 or under-19 games when he returned in February, Bennett turned out for the under-21s, and at stand-off and centre, before playing for Scotland in the last two matches of the U20s Six Nations Championship. He has played five times for the U23s since then, claiming a third narrow win over Montpellier’s ‘Espoirs’ last Sunday to set up tomorrow’s final with Perpignan.

“Winning this title would be a great way to end my first season,” he said. “You’re always looking to win things, and if we win this title I’d feel I’d achieved something.

“And you add the fact that I’ve come back from injury stronger and picked up French makes me feel I’ve done alright in my first year here.”