Luke Crosbie honoured to be called up by Scotland but his focus now is solely on Edinburgh

Luke Crosbie during a Scotland training session at Oriam in June. Picture: Paul Devlin/SNS

A full cap remained tantalisingly out of reach for the back-row forward after the tour to Eastern Europe was cancelled and, as he prepares for the new campaign, he is careful to concentrate on the here and now.

Edinburgh take on Benetton in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday before hosting the Scarlets in the league opener seven days later.

While his summer in the Scotland camp whetted his appetite for international rugby, the 24-year-old knows he needs to deliver for his club first and foremost.

Luke Crosbie during a training session at the new Edinburgh Rugby Stadium. Picture: Paul Devlin/SNS

Back row has been a position of strength for Edinburgh in recent years, with Hamish Watson and Jamie Ritchie both excelling at flanker. Neither man was available much last season and Crosbie filled the void admirably. He says he is comfortable playing either six or seven and his consistency was rewarded with the player of the year accolade.

“That proved to myself that I’m capable of stepping up,” he said. “Being part of a squad of talented players, to be recognised and get that award meant a lot to me and my family. If I’m playing I know I’m capable of being one of the top performers and I just want to keep building on that. That’s set a bar and I have to keep showing that I can keep performing to that level.

“When I got the award I was looking about the room and you just saw these unreal players who star for club and country. So to get that recognition and hear praise from your team-mates is great.”

Further recognition came in the form of his selection for the Scotland squad and while it was frustrating that the matches against England A, Romania and Georgia were all cancelled due to Covid, Crosbie enjoyed the experience.

“It definitely whetted my appetite,” he said. “It was great and an honour to be in the squad. It’s what you want, getting called into camp and getting your bag of kit with your initials on it. Small things to me, but they mean a lot. I can’t really express it in words, but everyone knows it’s an honour to run about with that thistle.”

With the squad for the autumn Tests due to be named next month Crosbie has the chance to stake his claim again but the player insists he is not looking that far ahead.

“I’m just focusing on Edinburgh at the moment. Every season for the past four seasons I think I started thinking too much about the future.

“It is an honour for me to do this. This is my job. Being able to play for Edinburgh is good and if anything else happens I’ll happily step up and take it, but I’m not going to underestimate how happy I am just going out and playing for Edinburgh.

“With anything in life, no matter what job it is, if you look too far ahead it takes away from where you are now and being in the moment. If you live in the moment you will play better because you’re focusing on your job and you’re not looking to the next week.”

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