I always found I played at my best when I didn’t have the sense of pressure that often comes with professional sport – a pressure to be on top of everything, constantly trying to prove yourself for coaches. Many of the coaches I played for were trying to get to grips with the professional game themselves.
On the flip side, coaches like Eugene Eloff – one of South Africa’s most successful age grade coaches – Richie Dixon and Rob Moffat, in my early days at Glasgow, and Gary Gold during my time at London Irish, knew how to get the best out of me. Yes, they had structures and game plans, but they knew their players and gave me freedom to just play.
With my height, weight and pace, I was billed as McLomu. To be compared to one of rugby’s most iconic superstars after one Test was just ridiculous. If you look at players like Tim Visser and Duhan van der Merwe, they’re the same size as me, but they are out-and-out wingers. Some days I would play games starting in the back row and ending it on the wing and vice versa. In retrospect, it probably did impact on me in terms of my identity as a player.
I think I played OK in my two Test caps for Scotland on the wing and I did well for Glasgow there but No.8 is where I really loved playing and produced my best rugby. It gave me the freedom to run with the backs and to get involved in the hustle and bustle of the forwards, the best of both worlds.
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin June 20, 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin June 20, 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.