My anger will fire me up

Richie out to vent fury on Aussies after brother’s ban RUGBY WORLD CUP

RICHIE GRAY spoke yesterday of the ‘ anger and disappointment’ he felt at seeing his younger brother Jonny robbed of the chance of World Cup glory. It is the fuel he will use to fire himself up against Australia.

Michael Cheika’s side remain massive favourites to progress at Twickenham tomorrow even if they have their own hurdles to overcome in the absence of David Pocock and Israel Folau.

The AC/DC soundtrack remained the same at Australia’s captain’s run. Thunderstruck is the Wallabies’ tune of choice and, if Cheika’s side were facing the All Blacks or South Africa, the loss of two star players might have rumbled straight through their World Cup hopes.

But they remain odds-on to win, even though Cheika continued his charm offensive by talking up Scotland’s chances.

‘This will be the most difficult game we play,’ said the Wallaby coach. ‘That’s not disrespecting our other opponents at all because every match has been tough but this will be the toughest.

‘There’s going to be a lot of pain. It’s going to be physical and I want the players to enjoy that. I’ve seen a lot of the Scottish players saying they can win — and they can. That’s the reality of sport.’

For that to happen, the Scots must conquer adversity. The absence of Gray junior and experienced hooker Ross Ford, after both were hit with three-match bans, is a major blow no matter the determination of the camp to put such disappointment behind them.

‘Without wanting to get into it too much, I felt a few things obviously when I heard the news,’ said Richie. ‘Anger, disappointment were two things and, when I first heard about the ban given to Jonny, it was very upsetting.

‘I felt for both guys and we are disappointed to lose them, but we have to come together and put in a performance for ourselves and also for Jonny and Ross. We don’t want to let ourselves down as players and we have to go out there and give our best.

‘For us to have a chance to win and make the semi-finals we have to face the reality of the situation, we have to get over what has happened with Jonny and Ross pretty quickly and concentrate on the big g a me at the weekend.’

Not having Jonny beside him may be a personal blow for Richie but it is also a huge setback for Scotland. Jonny has been calling all of the line-outs during this World Cup and would have done the same against Australia.

Both the Gray brothers like it that way. Jonny thrives on the responsibility that most locks rarely see at the age of just 21. Richie loves having the freedom to simply steal the ball at the set-piece.

Having that torn apart against the Wallabies will do Scotland no favours. Richie will have the added responsibility of calling the line- outs while Tim Swinson, who replaces Jonny, isn’t the same type of player as the young man he replaces.

Swinson is a warrior, a battler who will tackle hard and not let the opposition pass.

That is an important facet, but Jonny did that and more. He carried the ball into contact and is a far more athletic player. His fleetness of foot would have been i mportant against the Australians.

Now the onus will be on Richie to carry the ball to the opposition and show the sort of physical ability around the park that he has done so far in this World Cup.

‘I have called the line-out before when guys have gone off injured and I am comfortable doing it against Australia,’ Richie said. ‘I like to think I have been carrying the ball a l ot during the tournament and want to do the same on Sunday. Sometimes you get the ball in hand more than others and try to make the most of it.

‘It is a disappointment not having Jonny there but Tim is a r eal physical player. Give him the ball and he carries hard.

‘ He hi t s boys in defence and smashes rucks. He is just a good all round, hard-working second row.’

Gray and Swinson will go head to head against an Australian second row made up of Kane Douglas and Rob Simmons, who both stole ball in the wins over England and Wales. They have much more experience of playing together, given the Scottish pair have been thrown together because there i s no other specialist second row in the squad following the withdrawal of Grant Gilchrist through injury. Back-row forward David Denton could move up if either gets i njured — or Alasdair Strokosch could come off the bench. ‘We have an expectation of what is going to come at us and we are ready for it,’ said Gray. ‘ Yes they have a good second row but they have top players all over the park. ‘We aren’t going to worry too much about them as we need to get our stuff ri ght f i rst and foremost. If we think about them or worry about them then we will have a long day.

‘We have had three training sessions, one more on Saturday to think of things and to make sure we are spot on. I am confident that by kick-off on Sunday we will be flying and ready to take on Australia.’