Steele emerges as rugby’s first true hybrid player
► From wing to flanker, Quins man now ready to shine at No 9 ► Hogg lines up alongside, in first appearance as stand-off
Scott Steele will graduate from obscure pub quiz fodder to the big league when he makes his starting debut for Scotland against Italy at Murrayfield today.
“He has had three caps: one on the wing, one at scrum-half and one in the back row,” said Scotland assistant coach Mike Blair. “In years to come that will be a trivia question.”
Steele’s versatility has been one of the reasons for his elevation, whether coming on to the wing for his first cap against Wales at the Parc y Scarlets before Christmas, replacing Ali Price at Twickenham, or being pitched into the back row against Ireland, Steele has displayed an impressive adaptability and a willingness to roll up his sleeves.
“He actually suited the role,” said former Lions scrum-half Blair of Steele’s unexpected stint as an international flanker. “He must have cleared out 12 breakdowns and his energy was great. He was trying to avoid carrying the ball close to the line, because he doesn’t quite have the size of others, but he was putting everything into it.”
Steele started as a full-back at Dumfries, the club where his brothers and father played. As a 17-yearold, he was with Scotland Under-18s when team-mate Corey Venus said that his club, Leicester Tigers, were looking for a scrum-half.
Steele wrote to the club and moved south for a week’s trial before making his Premiership debut as an 18-year-old. After four years in the Midlands, he moved to London Irish, for whom he made 117 appearances over five seasons before being released.
With no contract and facing unemployment, he moved to Harlequins last summer and, after scoring three tries in seven appearances, recently had his contract extended.
Being outside of the Scottish bubble has made him self-reliant, while playing attritional rugby in the English Premiership means that, despite being just 5ft 9in and 13st, he has developed a physicality, defensive solidity and willingness to break around the fringes which feeds into the way Townsend wants Scotland to play. Price’s lapses against Ireland, when he conceded crucial penalties, tempted Townsend to give Steele his chance, but only because his one stint at scrum-half for Scotland suggested he can cope with the rigours of Test rugby.
“Scott’s performance was excellent at Twickenham, when he really helped control those last 10-15 minutes,” Townsend said. “His work rate, defensive attributes and allround skills should see him go well.”
If making his starting debut in the same game in which captain Stuart Hogg debuts as Scotland’s stand-off is doubly daunting, it helps that they are good friends.
Hogg said: “He’s been outstanding for Quins this year, and since coming into the Scotland camp he’s brought big energy and impact when he’s played at nine.”
“I’m excited to see the real Scott Steele against Italy. He’s a bundle of energy, a terrific defender and he loves to get stuck in. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
In that, Hogg is not alone.