Bennett is ready to kick on under Blair after earning Scotland recall
17 10
Mark Bennett has credited new Edinburgh coach Mike Blair for the rejuvenation which has led to a Scotland recall for the player after a three-year absence.
The gifted centre will train with the national side at Oriam today in preparation for the Autumn Nations Series which kicks off against Tonga a week on Saturday and continues with games against Australia, South Africa and Japan.
Bennett is seeing more of the ball this season and played a key role on Saturday’s 17-10 win over the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship.
Injuries to Jaco van der Walt and James Lang saw Bennett finish the match at stand-off and he slotted over a tricky penalty with eight minutes remaining to help Edinburgh see out the game.
It was a gritty performance in tricky wet conditions and it proved they could grind it out against more physical opponents.
“Mike has been brilliant,” said Bennett. “People say we have been playing some great rugby, but our set-piece has been excellent too. We are playing what is in front of us. We have got some great rugby players who can do that.”
Speaking before the match, Blair said Bennett was really enjoying his rugby this season, something he hadn’t been doing for a while. It is no secret
that Edinburgh were more reluctant to move the ball wide under previous coach Richard Cockerill and Blair’s more expansive style suits their creative players.
Bennett’s form is reminding supporters of the ability which earned him a nomination as World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year in 2015.
“I am playing some really good rugby and I think I am a better all-round player now,” said the 28-year-old. “I am a better defender and I am a bit
smarter in the way I am playing, so I will just do what I can if I am picked.
“You are seeing more of me now in positions where I am good – in the wide channels, taking people on. I am enjoying that. It was tough for an outside centre to really influence games last season. It is tough going when you are not getting the ball.”
Bennett last pulled on the dark blue in 2018 as a replacement against Canada and the USA.
“It has been a long time,” he said.
“I got a late call-up to the summer tour a few years ago, but I don’t think I have been in an original Scotland squad for five years, so I was chuffed.
“It has been a while but I have been working hard and I am getting to do more of what I am good at now.”
Bennett and Edinburgh were made to work for the win against the Bulls.
Theyhadled14-3atthebreak, thanks to Henry Immelman’s
try and three van der Walt penalties but they lost the standoff to a shoulder injury.
James Lang moved from 12 to 10, but had to off with a groin issue, leaving Bennett to assume place-kicking duties after a converted try from Marcell Coetzee had brought the Bulls back into the game.
“Everybody else was broken, so it was last resort and I had kicked like an absolute clown in the warm-up,” he said.
“Luckily they don’t count, so I did it when it mattered.”