'Pull my finger out': Forgotten Scotland man aims to resurrect international career

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend arguably has more strength in depth to choose from at this moment than at any other point in his nine plus years in charge.

This summer’s Nations Championship fixtures saw stand-out performances from a number of players as we now enter the final 12 months before next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia. That means there is just one regular season left for those on the peripheries of the national team to nail down a place in the coaching team’s plans.

Northampton Saints centre Rory Hutchinson came into his own as a Scotland international in the games against Argentina and South Africa, while Glasgow Warriors’ counterpart Stafford McDowall was named Player of the Match against Fiji.

Out of favour Scotland centre knows he needs more club starts to regain national team spot

Huw Jones, who left Scotstoun for Toulon this summer, missed out on the last selection but should be back fit and available for the next round of fixtures. With skipper Sione Tuipulotu irreplaceable in the 12 jersey it means there is significant competition when it comes to the middle of the park.

One player who will need a big season at his club in order to force his way back into Townsend's plans is Bath’s Cameron Redpath. The 26-year-old, who has 15 caps to his name, has not featured for Scotland since playing against Fiji in July 2025.

He was something of a bit-part player in the Gallagher Premiership for last season’s beaten finalists and knows that any hope of getting back into the national team set-up starts with playing more regularly for Johann van Graan side. With fly-half Finn Russell also playing his rugby at the Rec, it would certainly benefit Scotland to have the pair lining up in the same back-line regularly.

“I probably was just a little bit off where I wanted to be last year,” said Redpath in a recent interview. “Hence why I didn't get any Scotland caps and was on the bench a few times for Bath at the end of the season, where obviously everyone wants to start.

“Look at the competition, the squad's massive, and it's always going to be. But, yeah, for me personally, I just need to pull my finger out and try and get back to my best.”

Bath begin their 2026/27 Gallagher Premiership campaign away to Harlequins later this month. Before that though they’ll be in Scotland to take on Glasgow Warriors at Old Anniesland in a pre-season friendly.

It was ultimately a disappointing campaign last time out for the Somerset outfit who lost to Northampton Saints in the Premiership final. They were also beaten in the semi-finals of the Investec Champions Cup by Bordeaux Bègles.

“As a team, we're working hard in pre-season,” added Redpath. “We kind of know where we need to be and what we need to do.

“I don't think probably anyone was as good as they probably should be last season. At the end of the day, I think we have to move on from last year a little bit and, you know, look at ourselves personally and not really think about it too much.

“To win the Premiership is probably our first priority because if you don't win that, you're probably not going to go well in the other tournaments as well.”

Your next rugby read: URC 2026/27 preview - what all 16 clubs have been doing over the summer including Glasgow and Edinburgh