Luke Crosbie: Scotland A captain brings perspective to role as he ready himself for Chile

It may be an A international but the chance to captain Scotland is not an honour Luke Crosbie will take for granted.

The Edinburgh flanker has worked hard to get to this point in his career and has suffered a few setbacks along the way. It makes him appreciate this opportunity all the more and when he leads out the national team in Santiago on Saturday it will be a proud moment for the 25-year-old.

Crosbie won his first - and so far only - cap in the autumn against Tonga in the autumn but injury prevented him from playing any part in this year’s Six Nations campaign.

He recovered in April and his performances for Edinburgh in the final weeks of the season convinced Gregor Townsend to take him on tour and appoint him captain for the Chile game.

Having been involved in previous Scotland camps without playing, the Livingston man has had to be patient but is determined to seize his opportunity in South America.

“For me, it’s just about being in the moment,” he said. “If I look around now, I’ve been picked for the tour, then selected for the team and now being handed the role of captain. I’m grateful for the opportunity.

“If you miss out on stuff it builds a bit of perspective and I’m now more grateful for these opportunities and I know how rare they are. So it makes me want to take these opportunities with both hands and really enjoy it because I know what it’s like when you are missing out and you’re stuck in a dark gym. I’m just enjoying being here and looking forward to the weekend.”

Luke Crosbie made his Scotland debut in the Autumn Nations Series win over Tonga at Murrayfield. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Townsend expects Crosbie to bring a quiet authority to the role and the player himself will trust the team to put into practice what they have worked on in Chile.

“You can tell with the group of players in this camp that everyone wants to work hard for each other so there’s not too much that you need to bring in that respect,” said Crosbie. “It’s controlling the team and making sure everyone is focused on their job and if there are errors it’s about picking people up and making sure they stay positive.

“You give reminders throughout the week about defensive and attack goals and that these are our focuses going into the game so when it comes to high pressure situations those simple points we’ve worked on through the week can help us and give us confidence on the pitch.”

Chile’s recent victory over Canada suggests they should not be treaty lightly but Crosbie doesn’t expect any surprises in Santiago.

Luke Crosbie trusts his Scotland team-mates to deliver against Chile. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

“They’re a physical outfit and we’re totally prepared for them,” he said. “We’ve been training hard for a tough game. We’re going to stick to what we’ve been doing on the training field and look to implement that in the game.

“I just want to see the intent and energy that we usually bring in a Scotland jersey. I’m sure without a doubt that the players we have in this squad will bring that. We have to work hard for each other and control the game.

“And we have to try to enjoy it as well as it’s a special thing to play for your country, especially over here.”

Scotland A (v Chile, Estadio Santa Laura Universidad SEK, Santiago, Saturday, 9pm BST)

15. Ollie Smith - Glasgow Warriors - 0 caps

14. Damien Hoyland - Edinburgh Rugby - 4 caps

13. Matt Currie - Edinburgh Rugby - 0 caps

12. Sione Tuipulotu - Glasgow Warriors - (vice-captain) - 5 caps

11. Rufus McLean - Glasgow Warriors - 2 caps

10. Ross Thompson - Glasgow Warriors - 1 cap

9. George Horne - Glasgow Warriors - 17 caps

1. Jamie Bhatti - Glasgow Warriors - 22 caps

2. Dave Cherry - Edinburgh Rugby - 5 caps

3. Javan Sebastian - Scarlets - 1 cap

4. Jamie Hodgson - Edinburgh Rugby - 5 caps

5. Scott Cummings - Glasgow Warriors - 21 caps

6. Ben Muncaster - Edinburgh Rugby - 0 caps

7. Luke Crosbie - Edinburgh Rugby - (captain) - 1 cap

8. Matt Fagerson - Glasgow Warriors - 21 caps

Replacements

16. Johnny Matthews - Glasgow Warriors - 0 caps

17. Pierre Schoeman - Edinburgh Rugby - 9 caps

18. Murphy Walker - Glasgow Warriors - 0 caps

19. Glen Young - Edinburgh Rugby - 0 caps

20. Magnus Bradbury - Edinburgh Rugby - 18 caps

21. Ali Price - Glasgow Warriors - 51 caps

22. Blair Kinghorn - Edinburgh Rugby - 31 caps

23. Mark Bennett - Edinburgh Rugby - 24 caps