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'It could be a 10-year international career': Scotland celebrate capture of ex-England age-grade player Redpath
Scotland boss Gregor Townsend has expressed his delight that ex-England age-grade midfielder Cameron Redpath, the 21-year-old son of former Scottish scrum-half Bryan, has declared his Test rugby allegiance to the land of his father.
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Born in Narbonne during his 49-year-old father’s stint playing in France in the late 1990s, Redpath Jnr has come into his own since his move in England from Sale, another of his dad’s old clubs, to Bath where he has thrived in recent months.
Redpath, who appeared for England U20s as recently as the 2019 World Cup in Argentina and then trained with Eddie Jones’ Six Nations squad last spring, has made 15 appearances since his switch from the Sharks but it has only been in recent weeks that he made up his mind about who to try and play for at Test level.
Scotland made an approach to try and include him for last year’s Autumn Nations Cup but Redpath turned them down, pleading for more time before he had his mind made up.
Now that decision has been made and Townsend was thrilled to welcome him into the 35-strong Scottish squad that will begin its Six Nations campaign away to defending champions England on February 6.
4?? rookies, including the son of a famous Scottish scrum-half#GuinnessSixNationshttps://t.co/2yMW8GglQK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 20, 2021
“I have been trying to sell Scotland to him for the last couple of years but he came to a decision on his own,” explained Townsend when asked at his squad announcement media briefing about how Redpath came to the decision to turn his back on England. “His dad played and captained Scotland. I played alongside his dad but that has not been a factor.
“It’s been what he feels is right for him now and for the next how many years. It could be a ten-year international career he has got ahead of him if it goes well and he continues to improve.
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“We are delighted that he has committed to us. It’s an unusual situation that his family is all Scottish, Dad played for Scotland but Cam has been brought up in England and has played English age-grade rugby. It would have a tough decision. I’m sure it has been weeks if not months thinking about it but we can’t wait to work with him next week.
“We had spoken to him for a while and we did offer him the opportunity to come on board with us in the autumn. He didn’t feel it was the right time to commit to either country but he is now in a position where he has had made that decision and we’re delighted.
“He is already an excellent player. We have high hopes for what he can do in our squad and at that next level of playing international rugby.
“We see him very much as part of our Six Nations campaign. He has played really well for Bath this year and has had regular game time which has been a key factor in his development. He probably wasn’t getting that many games, partly because of an injury, some years ago at Sale but he has regularly featured for Bath and played really well.”
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“I thought it was going to be like kids rugby or 20s rugby in the Premiership and I didn’t understand it was a different game completely"
– Young Bath midfielder Cameron Redpath has matured in the 1??1?? months since he left Sale#GallagherPrem #BATvWAS
https://t.co/y0v0xlqD5y— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 8, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments