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'I got on with the lads... but I never felt I played well enough to earn their respect'
Injuries have a habit of rearing their heads at the worst possible time for Cameron Redpath but after his latest setback – a neck injury that saw him miss the majority of the Guinness Six Nations – he is back fit and keen to find his best form.
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After starring in Scotland’s first win at Twickenham for 38 years on the opening weekend of the Six Nations, a gutted Redpath was forced to watch from afar having been involved for the championship opener. He made a timely return to help Bath into the Challenge Cup semi-finals with victory over London Irish last weekend and will line up again for Stuart Hooper’s side when they face Leicester in Premiership action on Sunday.
Redpath believes he has come back from his most recent setback as a better player. “It’s part of the game and I feel like I have had a lot of opportunities where I have got injured at the worst possible time, but it’s one of those things,” he said.
“You have got to take it in your stride and every time you get injured, you have got to grow as a player off the field. Every time I have a setback I try to come back stronger. You have got to come back and try to be a better player.”
A change in club environment has helped Redpath, who admits he did not enjoy the latter part of his time at Sale as he was frustrated at being a bit-part player unable to find his best form or spending too much time on the treatment table.
Stuart Hooper's words apparently struck a chord in the build-up to Bath's revenge win over London Irish
https://t.co/VmMP6PZR3w— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 16, 2021
“When I first got approached (by Scotland) I wasn’t playing well at Sale. When I first spoke to Gregor (Townsend) he was telling me he thought I was someone who could play for Scotland but for me, I hadn’t played well at Sale.
“I don’t think I did play well at Sale at all. I got on with the lads and the coaches at Sale but I never felt I played well enough to earn their respect so coming to Bath, I wanted to earn the respect of the boys before thinking about any international honours.
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“I have still got massive respect for Sale. They were the ones who made my professional career start so I can’t sit here and slag them off when I was the one not playing well and I couldn’t stay fit. I needed to get away and get a fresh start.
“I had too many injuries and too many average performances. I needed to get away from home and challenge myself – I was very immature as a player and I was relying on too many things that happened in the past to keep me going.”
The move to Bath, which Redpath admits took him wholly out of his comfort zone, rejuvenated a young man with huge potential, and he marked his return with an all-action display in the Challenge Cup quarter-final win over London Irish, even slotting in at fly-half when Orlando Bailey was concussed early on.
“There are a few things that I need to work on but I have not played for eight weeks, so I was expecting that. It was nice to get out there and get challenged playing at 10 a bit more than I normally would at 12.”
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Redpath is now keen to put a run of games together for Bath and help the club get their hands on a trophy, with more international honours a target for the summer. “We want to get a trophy. It’s the aim every year. It’s tough but we have got a chance,” he said as Bath look to win silverware for the first time since the 2007/08 Challenge Cup triumph.
“I don’t know what is going on with summer tours at the moment, but I need to play well enough to get picked for Scotland. I want to play rugby at the top level so I can be fit to go on tour.”
Redpath has been mentioned in some quarters as a potential Lions bolter and passed on his congratulations to Townsend and Steve Tandy for their appointments in Warren Gatland’s coaching staff. “It is massive for Scottish rugby. They have done a great job and they deserve it,” he said before picking out a handful of his teammates with club and country that he feels are worthy of facing the world champion Springboks in July.
“Hoggy [Stuart Hogg] and Finn (Russell), they deserve to go massively. Same with Hamish Watson – you can’t get the Six Nations player of the championship and not go. Duhan (van der Merwe) on the wing was the top try-scorer in the Six Nations. There are loads of boys there who deserve a shot.
“Toby [Faletau] as well – he showed what he can do at the weekend with a chip and chase with his weaker foot. There’s a couple of boys who are in with a shot and that would be great for the club, and for them.
Redpath admitted he was gutted to miss Scotland’s first win in Paris for more than two decades, but revealed he joined in with the celebrations from his sofa. “I wanted to be there but I was jumping up and down when they scored at the end. I was going crazy in the house,” he said.
If the 21-year-old can return to the peak of his powers before the end of the season, there is likely to be a chance of a summer tour, whether that is with Scotland or as a wildcard selection to South Africa. “If I play well, everything opens up and I have done everything I can to control getting selected for a summer tour.”
"Joining Bath helped me move on from being a kid. I’m still 21, but I don’t get treated like a 21-year-old, I get treated as a senior player."@JLyall93 speaks to @BathRugby Cam Redpath who plays against Leicester tomorrow. https://t.co/oqnzQhrRpv
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) April 17, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Hey. Stay home and play for Mooloo.
1 Go to commentsTighthead was always going to be our weakness this year with Ryan going home to Ireland and the Cashed Up Blues taking a third All Black prop from us - nobody else in SR does that. Numia is the exciting one. He used to be a lightweight but he's really improved. Do you have stats on the All Black hookers’ lineouts for the game? I seem to remember a few misses.
2 Go to commentsFergus Burke isn't tier 1 player quality…but guess what, he'll be playing amongst them for Saracens…. all going well and Steve Borthwick is still the head coach, England...Scott Robertson’s hint of amending NZRU’s offshore AB eligibility clause, would mean that players like Josh Moorby who show potential might get a call…
4 Go to commentsThe movement of quality players back to SA is remarkable.
2 Go to commentsInteresting article, Nic. Am enjoying seeing the Rebels doing well, partly just to spite those who are working to wipe them off the face of the Australian rugby planet. But it is also good to see a team with somany good players beginning fire. LSL has benefitted so much from his move up to Northampton for the one year. I wonder why he did not stay on for another year. Does he now looks north and see his teammates of last year now doing so well, and have some regrets.
44 Go to comments“Over 80% of the World Cup squad are over 30” No it isn’t lol
2 Go to commentsTyrel Lomax the best AB prop since Carl Hayman. Absolutely destroyed the Boks in RWC Final and is monstering allcomers in Super this season. Should be a monster battle vs touring Poms, always deliver a power pack.
2 Go to commentsEye gouging seems like such a strong term for what can only be described as a poke in the eye. When I think of eye gouging I think of someone trying to intentionally pop someone’s eyeball out. it’s like calling a high-tackle attempted decapitation.
3 Go to commentsGreat article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
44 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
44 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
4 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
8 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
44 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
8 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to comments