Revenge a dish best served as starter for Hutchinson
Centre eyes tournament debut in Ireland
RORY HUTCHINSON is out for revenge.
The Northampton centre wasn’t even at the Rugby World Cup last autumn having missed the cut for Gregor Townsend’s squad yet such was the disappointment of the national team’s performance in their opening game of the tournament against Ireland, Hutchinson is champing at the bit to put things right.
On Saturday, Scotland open their Six Nations campaign with a visit to Dublin. The Irish are formidable opponents at home at any time but given their 27-3 mauling of the Scots in Japan last year, Hutchinson and his compatriots must be close to their very best if they are to narrow, or even reverse the scoreline.
But the 23-year-old is confident that they can put on a good showing at the Aviva Stadium and he is setting the bar high as to where he wants the side to finish come the end of the tournament.
“Everyone’s really excited [about facing Ireland] because we want to prove a point,” he said. “After a disappointing World Cup, we want to come back and compete, and beat the best teams. We’re really looking forward to a fresh start in a new competition.
“100 percent [we want revenge]. We want to win all our games. We don’t want to go there and get rolled over, we want to go there and win. We want to be the very best.”
Hutchinson has to be admired for his optimism and having missed out on selection for the World Cup, having a fresh face in the dressing room with such enthusiasm for this tournament can only be a positive thing.
The Six Nations will not be Hutchinson’s international debut though; he has already gained three caps, including one start for the national team, but all were in warm-up games for last year’s World Cup.
So, if all goes to plan for the English-born Scot, who qualifies for Townsend’s squad through his grandmother, the next few weeks will see him make his first international appearance in a competitive fixture. But he is not getting ahead of himself.
“To be able to play in such a big tournament like this would be great, where it means something rather than the warm-up games,” he said.
“Hopefully I do get the opportunity and to play in a tournament that’s so big, it’d be brilliant. But I’ve got to do the hard graft now, I’ve got to deserve the place. At the moment, there are some great centres so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Hutchinson is not wrong when he says the competition between the centres for starting spots is stiff. Missing out on World Cup selection was a bitter blow for Hutchinson but he refused to dwell on things and instead vowed to use the feedback from Townsend to make the jump to the next level.
“I’m not sure if I wanted to prove a point, I just knew that I had to get on with it,” he said of his omission from the World Cup squad. “I wanted to get back and play rugby, that’s all I could do. For me, it’s about getting consistent rugby and I’ve been getting that at Northampton.
“I felt like I’d played well in the warm-up games. But there are a lot of good players in my position and I was one to miss out. Gregor gave me his feedback and gave me work-ons which I’m still trying to do now.”
The chances of Hutchinson getting some serious game-time at the Six Nations may have been boosted last week, when Finn Russell left the squad after a “breach of team protocol”. The Racing 92 centre will not be considered for selection for this weekend’s game after a drinking session at the team hotel and so Hutchinson’s versatility of being able to play at 12 or 13, as well as his past experience at 10, may stand him in good stead in the coming weeks.
“I like getting my hands on the ball so wherever that will be and wherever he puts me, I’ll do my best,” he said. “I can cover and I’m always happy to step in.”
We are excited, we have a point to prove