Six Nations: Edinburgh hooker Dave Cherry on winning that elusive full Scotland cap

Dave Cherry was one of three uncapped hookers named in Scotland’s 2019 Six Nations squad but while Jake Kerr and Grant Stewart went on to win full international honours, Cherry is still chasing that elusive first cap.

Dave Cherry impressed for Edinburgh in the narrow defeat by Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun. Picture: Ross Parker/SNS

Two years on, and the Edinburgh man is hoping he has caught Gregor Townsend’s eye.

The Scotland coach will name his Six Nations squad at lunchtime on Wednesday and, with first-choice hooker Fraser Brown ruled out with a neck injury and back-up Stuart McInally struggling with a similar complaint, Cherry is sure to be on his radar.

George Turner of Glasgow Warriors looks to be in pole position to start against England on February 6 if McInally doesn’t make it but Townsend is expected to name three hookers in his squad.

For Cherry, who turned 30 earlier this month, playing for Scotland would be the ultimate.

“Absolutely, why does any young lad or lady start playing rugby?” he says. “The dream is to play for your country. That’s what I want to do. It is my goal and it’s closer than it has been, I’d say, so I just have to focus on myself and hopefully the stars will align.

“I get on really well with Stuart and you hate to see somebody injured, but rugby doesn’t stop and sometimes players just need a bit of an opportunity and I hope to show that with this game time I’m now getting.”

He played the full 80 minutes against Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun on Saturday and although Edinburgh were pipped by a point, Cherry impressed. Next up are Zebre in Italy on Saturday

“You can’t get ahead of yourself,” he said. “It is the here and now that is the important thing and my mind is purely focussed on Zebre at the weekend.”

Despite the one-game-at-a-time mantra, Cherry would be forgiven for allowing his thoughts to stray to Twickenham. Ten years one from playing at the 2011 Junior World Championship in Italy, that full cap is tantalisingly close.

And no-one can say he has not worked hard to get to this point. A product of Merchiston Castle School, Cherry was captain of Scotland under-18s. He played for Currie and was capped ten times at under-20 level but struggled to win a professional contract in Scotland.

He went to university instead, studying geography and environmental management at Northumbria before having another stab at the pro game, this time with more success.

He played at London Scottish and then at Stade Nicois in France before returning to sign for Edinburgh in 2018.

“It does give you a different perspective,” he said. “To get my first contract I really struggled. I had to call around a lot of coaches in the Championship and eventually through an agent I got to London Scottish. I had three years there where you’re doing every rep in training, you’re playing a lot of minutes and you’re training outside. It gives a bit of a reality check after being in a suite in Murrayfield.

“And then obviously I was in France, which was a completely different kettle of fish, where there’s no touch judges and it’s every man for himself. I guess that’s why I just focus on the here and now and my performance, and hope that things fall into place.”

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