MAKING HIS MARK

Good things come to those who wait but John Barclay has been kicking his heels a lot longer than most. Scotland’s latest captain originally appeared in the national squad as a 17-year-old just out of school, and was first capped, against New Zealand, a decade ago. But only now, at the grand old age of 30, will the flanker lead the team on to the field at Murrayfield for the first time in his long and distinguished career.

“It’s a huge honour,” said Barclay, “a proud a day for my family and for me. I know it’s a cliché but I’d much rather win at the weekend, I’m not much bothered about titles, and I know Greig [Laidlaw] is the same; we want to win and that’s enough for us.”

It has been a remarkable turnaround for Barclay. After being aggressively pushed by one Australian coach, Matt Williams, at the very start of his professional career, the flanker found himself cold shouldered by another, Scott Johnson, who dropped him, and Barclay spent a long 21 months (from November 2013 to August 2015) in the international wilderness.

Following a dispiriting defeat by South Africa in the autumn of 2013 it has long been rumoured that Johnson and Barclay had a row. Whatever the details, Barclay didn’t feature for Scotland again during Johnson’s tenure.

When Vern Cotter took over he also ignored Barclay’s claims, playing him in a warmup for the 2015 Rugby World Cup but leaving him out of the main event. Only in the last 12 months has Barclay been at the forefront of the Kiwi coach’s thinking, earning his first Six Nations start under Cotter against England last season.

“He has experience and good leadership qualities,” said Cotter. “He’s been part of the leadership group and was captain when Greig [Laidlaw] went off against France, although he unfortunately

“I think it’s important thatidon’ttrytobe like Greig. That’s not meant disrespectfully, it means that I have to try and be my [own] captain”

JOHN BARCLAY