Gray admits surprise at selection and vows to repay coach’s faith

Tough on captain to miss Argentina match, says second row rival

FACES of Scotland internationalists were a mix of delight and relief following the team announcement to face Argentina after one of the most contentious selections in Andy Robinson’s tenure as Scotland coach.

Robinson admitted that he could have made a case for any of the 28 fit and available players to be chosen after their performances in the matches so far, or based on the belief he has that they will perform on the big stage in the Westpac Stadium on Sunday.

The coach has gone with form choices such as Jim Hamilton, Alasdair Strokosch and Nick De Luca, while the front row picks itself with Euan Murray ruled out by his religious beliefs. In the second row he admitted that once Hamilton had proven his lineout leadership credentials, to add to his scrummaging and ball-carrying weight, he turned to Richie Gray because he wanted another big forward with the ability to get about the park quickly. Despite being 6ft 9in, Gray is the fastest front five forward in the squad.

Gray acknowledged that winning selection ahead of Al Kellock and Nathan Hines for such a big game was merely the latest in a series of surprises since he joined the Test ranks last year.

“It is hard to take it all in,” said the 22-year-old. “I’m a bit surprised at how quickly this has all come, but I’m really enjoying the World Cup experience. I know I’ll enjoy this weekend and the whole experience in this stadium if we get the win, so that’s the focus now.

“I’ve been given a huge opportunity and it’s up to me to repay the faith. Jim and Nathan played really well against Georgia and Al played well against Romania, so I’ve been thinking a lot about the selection leading up to this game and I’m just glad to be picked and be given the chance.

“It’s tough on Al, but Al is such a great guy he has just kept spurring everybody on in training and demanding the best results, and it is now up to us to do the job for the whole squad.

“We know how tough Argentina will be. They are a hugely passionate side that will throw everything at you. They have a very well-drilled defence, tough to break down, can attack with a bit of menace and they have the threat of their aerial battle, so they have strengths all over the park.

“But we are a good side as well and, from our point of view, it’s about going out and playing the way we want to play, play with some width and get them moving about the park.”

Another Glasgow player relieved to see his name on the teamsheet was John Barclay. He and Robinson know that Edinburgh flanker Ross Rennie was in fine form against Georgia while Barclay was not at his best, but this was a selection based on who Robinson believes can deliver most in the heat of battle against the Pumas. He pointed to Barclay’s outstanding performances for Scotland in recent years, stating he was his “number one choice”.

Barclay, who turns 25 tomorrow, admitted: “It was a relief, but also a realisation that I was maybe lucky and Ross unlucky, and that adds a bit of pressure knowing that I have to play well this weekend.

“It’s pressure that I would put on myself regardless. Everyone needs a big performance at the weekend especially me.

“Argentina are probably one of the best in the world at slowing down ball and turning it over, so for me it’s going to be a challenging day. But I’ve played against them as a team before and against their players a lot so we know what to expect.

“It’s just a matter now of getting in there and getting it done.

“This is the biggest game of my career and I’m really excited. Delighted to be selected and determined now to prove that it was the right decision.”

The biggest call of all, of course, was that of Ruaridh Jackson over Dan Parks. Jackson looked the picture of calm in the wake of the biggest selection of his young career. “It’s nice to get that vote of confidence and now it’s up to me to repay the faith,” he said, before paying tribute to his older understudy. “I’m sure a lot of people expected Dan to start and I’m sure he was desperate to start, but he was as good as always, he was the first up to me, the first to congratulate me and give me a hug. No doubt he would have been hurting a lot inside, so it just shows the measure of the guy.”

Jackson says he knows what’s coming againt the Pumas. “I’ll be ready for them, I’m not too worried. It’ll be an extremely physical battle and our forwards will be revved up for it, just like they were against the Georgians, then they can leave it up to me to release our backs out wide and release our strike-runners into the game.

“I need to strike the right balance, of course. You look at the Australia v Ireland game and the Aussies probably didn’t get it right, Quade Cooper tried to do too many things at the wrong time. It’s important that I get our backs into the game but it’s striking a balance that you do it in the right areas.”

Up to now, said Jackson, his first start for Scotland, against England in the last Six Nations, was the most pressurised game of his career. That might be about to change. “I came through it OK, so hopefully I’ll rise to the occasion on Sunday. I’m quite a laidback guy. Some people look at me a bit weirdly because I usually just go about my business quietly. I’m low-key, I stay relaxed but it’s hard and I’ll probably find it very hard at the weekend.”