Gilchrist is on top of the world again
FFROM 10 months stranded on the sidelines with injury, to Scotland vice-captain and in the thick of it for his comeback game.
It is little wonder Grant Gilchrist believes the dream of playing in his first World Cup is alive and kicking.
If ever the Edinburgh second row wanted an indication he was heading in the right direction to make head coach Vern Cotter’s final 31, it came on the morning of the defeat against Ireland in Dublin at the weekend.
Gilchrist had already been named in the Scotland starting team but got a surprise when Cotter pulled him aside after breakfast on Saturday to give him more good news.
The coach wanted him to take over as captain when scrum-half Henry Pyrgos was replaced in the second half by Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and also call the line- outs from the start ahead of the more experienced Jim Hamilton.
It was the confidence boost Gilchrist wanted to hear ahead of his first competitive game since breaking his arm playing for Edinburgh against Lyon last October.
‘It was a great honour to be asked to take over as Scotland captain but I didn’t see it coming,’ he admitted.
‘It is a year since I last played f or Scotland, 10 months since I even played a game, so i t was a big compliment in my comeback match t o be given t hat responsibility.
‘I only found out on the day of the game I would be vice-captain and, to be honest, that came as a surprise.
‘It was at that moment I realised Vern wanted me to play the full 80 minutes after so long out. Having to last the whole game was something else for me to get my head round first thing on the Saturday morning.’
Gilchrist need not have worried. In the battle f or the Scotland second-row places, he outperformed Hamilton and has given himself a real chance of making Cotter’s final squad, not that the man from Alloa wants to tempt fate.
After breaking his arm playing for Edinburgh the week before he was due to captain Scotland against New Zealand at BT murrayfield, Gilchrist won’t take anything for granted.
His misfortune opened the door for others and in his absence the Gray brothers — richie and Jonny — have become the first- choice pairing, with Hamilton, Ben Toolis and rob Harley also in the mix.
‘It was great to even be out there against Ireland as I had been away for such a long time,’ continued Gilchrist. ‘With the World Cup coming up, there is no better time for me to make a comeback and I loved every second of the game against Ireland.
‘I now have 80 minutes under my belt and I’m grateful for that but I am desperate to play as much as possible in our warm-up games.
‘I know other guys are going to get their chance but I am ready and available whenever Vern chooses me.
‘It is now up to me to repay the faith the coach has shown in me by bringing me back into the team and making me captain when Henry went off.
‘I enjoyed the game and it did not feel the action went past me or that I was chasing shadows, which was a good sign.
‘Overall, I felt I got through a bit of work. It was not perfect but I did some good things.
‘There are still things that I need to work on but it was good to get through the match — although the defeat took the shine off the occasion for me.
‘On a personal level, I hope I can go up a few gears from what I showed in Dublin and I am looking on that game as a starting point with the World Cup coming up.
‘ Competition for places i n the second row is great for Scottish rugby and there are loads of guys putting their hands up for selection.
‘I want to be one of them, to come into the selection discussion and give Vern a hard final decision to make.’