Versatile Hutchinson times his World Cup run perfectly
TIMING your run is a crucial skill to have as a centre and Rory Hutchinson might just be judging his move perfectly as the competition heats up to win a berth in Scotland’s 31-man Rugby World Cup squad.
An outlier who suddenly makes himself integral to a team’s plan is often part of the narrative at major finals and this versatile and highlyrated 23-year-old could fit the bill for Scotland. To win a place on that flight to Japan, however, he will have to make the most of his maiden chance tomorrow in Nice, where he will start on the Scotland bench in the first of four World Cup warm-up matches, two against France and two against Georgia.
Yet when the Northampton Saints centre tore his posterior cruciate ligament on the eve of last season, having missed most of the 2017-18 campaign with injury, he faced a huge battle just to play club rugby, let alone make the international squad.
Fast forward 12 months and Hutchinson has earned a player of the month award in the Gallagher’s Premiership as well as a nomination for the discovery of the year.
Born in Cambridge and schooled in Essex, Hutchinson could easily be mistaken for a member of Eddie Jones’ England squad. But make no mistake about how much the chance to represent Scotland means to him.
He has had plenty of opportunities to switch allegiances or keep his international options open, but he is more than happy to repay Scotland for the faith they showed in him, whether that was playing for the Exiles, Under18s or Under-20s.
“Maggie [Magnus Bradbury], Adam [Hastings], Blair [Kinghorn[, George Horne, Zander [Fagerson], Scott Cummings, Jamie Ritchie – a large core of us all played Under-20s together, so it’s been brilliant,” says Hutchinson.
“It has been a lovely fit. Those relationships have been brilliant from Under-18s through to Under-20s. I’m lucky to have gone through the three World Cups with Zander and Jamie. It is a very tight group and it has been great for me to come in and see some familiar faces.”
Hutchinson takes his blood links to this country seriously. He plays for Scotland to honour his grandmother Isobel, who hails from Lanarkshire, and is now suffering from dementia and being cared for by his family south of the border. His grandfather Bill was a huge sports fan, with the family making regular trips to Loch Rannoch on holiday.
“My grandfather is not here today, my grandmother is with us down south now so we can look after her, but she is from Bellshill in Glasgow,” said Hutchinson. “She’s getting good care in a great home in Cambridgeshire now but I am sure my parents [Kirsty and Jonathan] would come out if I made it to the World Cup. My grandfather passed away when I was about four, but I know he will be looking down and wishing me all the best.
“It would just be a dream come true to represent my family, represent Scotland. I like to think I have worked very hard to get into this position and if I do play it would be brilliant.”
Things certainly paid off for him last season, with everything falling into place after he returned in 16 weeks following a pre-season injury against Glasgow.
“This season [just gone] was a big one for me coming off the back of a two-year contract,” said Hutchinson. “I’d been injured in my first year and gone on loan to Bedford and I came back and there was a new coaching staff in place so I was going to really give it a crack because international rugby has always been a goal of mine and still is.
“Unfortunately, I got injured in the last pre-season game against Glasgow last August and I had a fight on my hands for a job.
“I came back in just before January and got a good string of games together and [Scotland coach] Gregor [Townsend] kept on track with things and I am very glad to be here now.
“To be up for young player of the year, it was quite a turnaround. I was just allowed to play and at Northampton we play an expansive game which suits my mould of rugby quite well.”
As well as his defensive acumen, what Townsend really treasures in Hutchinson is his defensive versatility, with the player providing cover tomorrow for fly-half, inside and outside centre.
“I’ve been running at 10, 12 and 13, just getting to know the ins and outs of the roles,” says Hutchinson. “If I am asked to do a job at 10 then I’d happily put my hand up. I used to play 10 at Under-18s, so it is a great thing to have done when you move out to 12 and 13. It means you can help in being the eyes for the 10.” COACH Warren Gatland has told his players they are under pressure to perform against England tomorrow in Cardiff after their 33-19 defeat at Twickenham.
Having made just three changes to the line-up, Gatland said: “It’s easy enough to make a lot of changes, but some of the players would have been disappointed with last weekend, and particularly that first 20 minutes.
“For us, it’s about a chance to redeem ourselves and give those players another hit-out to go out there and perform, and put some pressure on them to perform as well.”
Scarlets duo Jonathan and James Davies will become the first set of brothers since 2006 to start for Wales. James Davies replaces Justin Tipuric, while fly-half Dan Biggar comes in for an injured Gareth Anscombe and lock Jake Ball replacesAdam Beard.
A large core of us all played Under-20s together so it’s been brilliant. It is a very tight group and it has been great for me to come in and see some familiar faces