Gilchrist out to prove he’s best man to lead from back
GRANT Gilchrist hopes he can provide Gregor Townsend with the key ingredient as the Scotland coach continues his search for the perfect second-row combination.
The Edinburgh forward has had to bide his time this autumn while Townsend has given his various lock pairings a try.
Ben Toolis and Jonny Gray got the nod for the November opener against Wales, with Gilchrist afforded just a seven-minute cameo in Cardiff.
The 28-year-old was back in to partner Sam Skinner from the start against Fiji at Murrayfield, with Exeter’s Skinner – man of the match on his debut – then shifting to the backrow as Gray closed out the eight-try demolition job.
But Gilchrist was absent entirely on Saturday as Toolis and Gray played the full 80 minutes of the 26-20 defeat by South Africa.
He should make his return this weekend when Argentina bring the curtain down on Scotland’s four-game autumn series on Saturday, but who will be lining up alongside him remains to be seen.
“It’s quite clear that the coaches are trying out different combinations,” he said. “So when it’s your chance to play you’ve got to perform, because as we’ve seen across the board there’s been good performances, certainly from players in my position.
“I think, to be fair, in Scottish rugby we always seem to have a depth of second rows. From the first time I was involved in the squad until now, it’s always been highly competitive and I’m a firm believer that makes everybody better.”