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'I wouldn’t be over-bearing': Gilchrist on his captaincy style
Grant Gilchrist has backed Edinburgh team-mate Hamish Watson to remind everyone why he was selected for British and Irish Lions duty just over two years ago as the experienced back-rower prepares for his first involvement of the World Cup by starting for Scotland against Romania in Lille this weekend.
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The 31-year-old established himself as a regular in the number seven jersey after making his debut in 2015 but injuries allied to increased competition, particularly from the burgeoning Glasgow flanker Rory Darge, have led to him losing his status as a first-pick this year.
After failing to make the 23-man squad for the opening Pool B fixtures against South Africa and Tonga, Watson will get a chance to ease some of his frustration by playing from the start in Saturday’s must-win match with tournament minnows Romania.
Gilchrist – who has been handed the captaincy this weekend – has sympathy with his friend and long-time club-mate but has no doubt he will respond strongly on the occasion of his 59th cap.
“It’s tough,” he said when asked about Watson’s fall from prominence. “Obviously he’s a really good mate of mine and a world-class player but most of us have been there through our careers.
“I’ve been there a number of times. It makes you better as a player. You just have to embrace it, and Hamish has. I’m sure you’ll see the best version of Hamish Watson on Saturday and that’s because of the competition.
“We love that attitude that when someone comes along and plays really well you have to see that as a positive because it makes you have to look for different ways in your game to improve.
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“Any time that’s happened to me in my career, it’s not nice and you get frustrated – we’re all human, we’re not perfect – but once that does sink in, you can really use it to drive you and look at your game and look for ways to compete.
“We’re all competitive, we all want to play, so it can have a massive impact on you. I’m sure that’ll be the same with Hamish and he’ll go really well on Saturday.”
Asked if he still sees enough in Watson to believe he can perform at the level that got him into the Lions squad in 2021, Gilchrist said: “Definitely. I see it day in, day out, and I’ve seen it with Hamish throughout my whole career.
“The competition he has with Dargey is only going to make him a better player.”
Gilchrist will captain Scotland for the first time at a World Cup as he takes over the role from regular skipper Jamie Ritchie, who is out due to concussion but would probably have been rested this weekend in any case.
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“It’s a huge honour,” said the 33-year-old lock, who is competing at his third World Cup. “Every time I get the chance to pull on the jersey it means so much to me and I’ve been lucky enough to captain my country a few times, but to do it at a World Cup is extra special.
“Like all the guys playing this weekend, I’m really excited for the game and to try and get our best performance on the field.”
Gilchrist – usually a vice-captain – insisted his approach will not change significantly this week.
“I wouldn’t be over-bearing, taking on more this week than I would normally contribute,” he said. “Maybe just having that overall role in pulling guys together and making sure you bring other guys in the way Jamie does by bringing guys like me or Finn (Russell) in or whoever else is contributing (in a leadership capacity).
“But I’d like to think that regardless of the captaincy or not, I can bring leadership and experience to any team I’m part of and I’m not particularly precious about the title.
“As much as it’s a huge honour, I’d like to think I’d contribute the same regardless.”
Gilchrist knows there is a potentially huge showdown with Ireland awaiting his side in Paris next weekend, but he is focused on taking care of Romania first, with a bonus-point win imperative.
“This weekend is vital,” he said. “That’s the only thing we can control at the moment.
“Without five points this weekend, you can’t even talk about Ireland the following weekend.
“That’s the challenge for us as players. Looking at the performance, we want to set a higher benchmark than we did against Tonga.
“We want a better performance so that can really launch us into next week.”
Rugby World Cup
Pool A
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
France
3
3
0
0
13
2
Italy
2
2
0
0
10
3
New Zealand
2
1
1
0
5
4
Uruguay
3
1
2
0
5
5
Namibia
4
0
4
0
0
Pool B
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Ireland
3
3
0
0
14
2
South Africa
3
2
1
0
10
3
Scotland
2
1
1
0
5
4
Tonga
2
0
2
0
0
5
Romania
2
0
2
0
0
Pool C
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Wales
3
3
0
0
14
2
Fiji
2
1
1
0
6
3
Australia
3
1
2
0
6
4
Georgia
2
0
1
1
2
5
Portugal
2
0
1
1
2
Pool D
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
England
3
3
0
0
14
2
Japan
3
2
1
0
9
3
Samoa
3
1
2
0
6
4
Argentina
2
1
1
0
4
5
Chile
3
0
3
0
0
Comments on RugbyPass
Surely they aren’t that short of 10s in the northern hemisphere?
1 Go to commentsBest wishes to a true warrior who gave everything for his team and country. He was no McCaw but the closest we've had in recent years in terms putting his head into dark places, leading the defensive line and securing the attacking breakdown - the core roles of a modern open side. If only he could have played more tests under Foster and Plumtree with blindsides who fulfilled their core roles. 2027 was always going to be a long shot. Hopefully Papalii fulfils the promise of 2021 and late 2022 and/or Lakai turns out to be as good as he looks.
4 Go to commentsFair play to him. A lot of exciting talent coming up in the loose forward position, can’t wait to see the next generation.
4 Go to commentsSam wants to focus on his family and learning how to tackle legally…what’s Japanese for ‘bend at the waist’?
4 Go to commentsNice story
1 Go to commentsThere's a log jam at the moment of quality number sevens competing for an All Black jersey. I think Du Plessis Kirifi is certainly one of them and has now developed an accurate sharp and energetic game as compared to when he was first picked. Would love to see Billy Harmon get first dibs at the jersey (been outstanding in a struggling side for a few seasons now), as I believe we've seen enough of Papali'i to understand what he brings to the role. Lakai is young and will get his shot. Du Plessis would be a bolt off the bench but his lack of versatility may hinder his chances.
2 Go to commentsGood Luck Sam, enjoy Japan.
4 Go to commentsWhen Sth Africa had Joost and Honiball at 9 and 10 they were almost impenetrable in and around the ruck. Even Jonah couldn't make headway in those channels so they were very hard to get in behind. They had a fantastic side who played a fast, rugged style which won them the Tri Nations during that period. That side would beat their current mob of which I have no doubt.
2 Go to commentsAwesome win by the NZ U20s. They were excellent in the 2nd half with some very patient and accurate phase play, a dominant scrum and decent lineout. Simpson controlled things very well at 10 and it was amazing to see the team maintain their composure and score points when he was in the sin bin for a very harsh yellow card.
2 Go to commentscome on Toulouse
1 Go to commentsNot unless the cartels get interested in rugby like they did w football
1 Go to commentsYes Dobbo, you were absolute crap. Start respecting the ball and possession. If you played rugby instead of basketball against the Ospreys, you would have been n the top two now, not fifth! If you attractively and entertainingly throw the ball around for 80 minutes and lose, WE DON’T FKN ENJOY IT!
1 Go to commentsWe need a system of transfer fees. A club shouldn’t just get to sign Will Harrison when he’s been funded in NSW his entire rugby life because they have more money.
98 Go to commentsThat the pain experienced by SH clubs poached mercilessly by NH friends being now felt by the non-elite NH clubs delivers me an element of schadenfreude but if it expands the amount of poachees and opens the eyes of those new to the group then it serves a purpose. In my pessimistic (realistic?) moments I see Oz clubs in the future acting solely as feeders for France and Japan. It’s a real possibility without change
98 Go to commentswhy is this garbage rival sport that’s poaching rugby talents being promoted on a rugby website backed by world rugby again?
6 Go to comments“Ou Lem” leading that ‘98 team to a 13-3 victory was the stuff of legend! Especially since we hadn’t beaten them for many years. 10/12/13 combo of Honiball, Pieter Muller & Andre Snyman were tough as nails! I remember screaming my head off in the early hours of the morning & my brother hitting a hole through one of the bedroom doors🤭😂
2 Go to commentsWhatever about 2017 - it's seven years ago and irrelevant now. In 2021 New Zealand needed a numerical advantage for 75% of the game and what was then the largest home advantage crowd in the history of the sport in order to just _barely_ beat England.
3 Go to commentsBoth cards were harsh. Yet again highlighting rugby's inconsistencies and the absurd effect of cards
3 Go to commentsExcellent game management in the last 15 or so minutes to close it out. Aussie got a bit panicky.
3 Go to commentsWhile all this is going on… I’ve been thinking more about the NFL draft system and how to make the commercial elements of the game more sustainable for SA teams who precariously live on the fringe of these developments. SA teams play in Europe now, and are welcome, because there’s a novelty to it. SA certainly doesn’t bring the bucks (like a Japan would to SR) but they bring eyes to it. But if they don’t perform (because they don’t have the money like the big clubs) - it’s easy come easy go… I think there is an element of strategic drafting going on in SA. Where the best players (assets) are sort of distributed amongst the major teams. It’s why we’re seeing Moodie at the Bulls for example and not at his homegrown Western Province. 20-30 years ago, it was all about playing for your province of birth. That has clearly changed in the modern era. Maybe Moodie couldn’t stay in the cape because at the time the Stormers were broke? Or had too many good players to fit him in? Kistchoff’s sabbatical to Ireland and back had financial benefits. Now they can afford him again (I would guess). What I am getting at is - I think SA Rugby needs to have a very strong strategy around how teams equitably share good youth players out of the youth structures. That is SA’s strong point - a good supply of good players out of our schools and varsities. It doesn’t need to be the spectacle we see out of the states, but a system where SA teams and SA rugby decide on where to draft youth, how to fund this and how to make it that it were possible for a team like the Cheetahs (for example) to end up with a team of young stars and win! This is the investment and thinking that needs to be happening at grassroots to sustain the monster meanwhile being created at the top.
98 Go to comments