Cam Redpath: 'If I don’t get picked I’ll be absolutely devastated'
Cam Redpath knows the next few weeks are critical as he bids to follow in his father’s footsteps by going to a World Cup with Scotland. The 23-year-old centre’s dad Bryan played at the 1995, 1999 and 2003 tournaments, and photos and caps adorn the family home.
Redpath junior was at the showpiece in Australia as a toddler 20 years ago and now, after being named in Gregor Townsend’s provisional squad for this autumn’s renewal in France, he knows he is tantalisingly close to emulating his father.
“I was there in 2003 as a three-year-old with my brother and sister and my mum and my grandparents so it’s quite special and it would mean the world to me to go,” said the Bath centre.
“Looking back on photos of me in a Scotland shirt at three years old on the balcony and in the stadium when my dad was playing, it’s definitely something I’d love to do.
“As a kid, you always think you would love to do that, especially for me as a kid growing up in a house where my dad had his World Cup caps up on the wall so it would be pretty cool to have mine and be able to do the same one day. My family love coming to support me so I’d imagine if I do get in that squad, my mum and dad and brother and sister will be there.”
Scotland have four warm-up matches ahead of the tournament and Townsend plans to trim his 41-man squad to 33 by the time of the third of those games away to France on August 12. Redpath – one of five centres and with just five caps to his name – is among several players in the group whose place cannot be taken for granted.
“It can be unsettling,” he said when asked about the uncertainty of whether he will make the final squad. “It’s more about how you look at it. I’m just trying to look at it in the sense that I back myself and if I put my best foot forward and do everything in my control, it’s then up to the coaches.
“If I don’t get picked I’ll be absolutely devastated but it’s something that I can’t control if I have done everything I can and I know I have trained well. It’s just about trying to get every detail right. It’s obviously a little bit unsettling because I’d love to be on that plane.
“Obviously it is always at the back of everyone’s minds (that the squad will be trimmed) but it’s not something you can think about too much because if you think about that and train poorly you won’t get picked.
“For me, it’s just about getting my head down, training hard and trying to get into that squad. Everyone’s in the same boat, grafting hard, so the squad’s in a good position.
“The games coming up are important but I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself because I have also had the pre-season to try and put my best foot forward. But games are always more important than training so hopefully I can play at least one of the games to try to put my best foot forward and get into the squad.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
2 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
2 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
10 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
10 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
10 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to comments