Gilchrist is making up for French frustration
IF things had turned out differently, Grant Gilchrist would be playing his rugby in the sun-kissed south of France just now rather than Edinburgh.
When Irish legend Paul O’Connell had to rip up his Toulon contract due to injury, he recommended the French giants sign the Scotland lock as his replacement.
They made an approach to secure his signature from the summer of 2016 but the compensation package the SRU were asking for proved to be too much even for them.
Rather than sulk, Gilchrist simply rolled up his sleeves and got on with playing.
Injuries would blight his progress over the next two years but he has slowly returned to form — and has been rewarded by becoming a major part of Gregor Townsend’s plans since he took over last summer as Scotland head coach.
Yesterday, he was brought back into the starting XV for the crucial match against France on Sunday as Townsend turned to his more experienced men in the wake of the Cardiff debacle.
And all at Murrayfield will be hoping he can produce the level of display that first caught the eye of O’Connell.
‘It was just one of the opportunities that come up in your career,’ said Gilchrist, when asked about whether he was still frustrated at coming so close to joining one of the best sides in Europe.
‘I enjoy the physical game they play in France. As a front-five forward, you enjoy the battle. The nuts and bolts of the game have always been my strength and I won’t be moving away from that.
‘I like to think I have an edge to my game, decent physicality, set-piece and line speed.’
Play well against France at Murrayfield on Sunday and there could be other top French clubs beating a path to his door. Especially if he gets the better of Sebastien Vahaamahina, the 6ft 8in, 19st 12lb second row who is an expert at line-out steals.
‘They don’t name their team until Friday but he is a big, physical man and a good athlete,’ said Gilchrist of the man born in New Caledonia. ‘You have to be technically right and get in his face.
‘You don’t want to be sitting back on your heels and letting someone like that get a run at you. At maul time, make sure its not about me or Jonny (Gray) against him and the French forwards. It’s about six or eight of us doing our jobs properly to make sure we are technically better than the French.
‘Line-out wise, we have to be at our best and, as I am calling the line-out against France, I want to turn it into a platform for attack.
‘We need to make sure the big French runners are getting met with low tackles. In attack, we have to take the game to them and, as a forward pack, get in a position to allow our backs to do some damage.’
Gilchrist knows the match is a chance for him to lay down a claim to be a regular in the second row. That is something he has struggled to do through the years, mainly because of a series of long-term injuries, including twice breaking his arm and having to undergo a groin operation.
In his absence, the likes of Ben Toolis, Tim Swinson and Jonny Gray came to the fore, which made it even more difficult to get back into the team.
‘I am desperate to start for Scotland and that was always the goal coming into the camp ahead of the Six Nations,’ continued Gilchrist. ‘Obviously, being involved last weekend off the bench was great for me but getting a start is what I really want.
‘A few years ago, I had a bad run of injuries but there has always been incredible competition to get a start in the Scotland second row.
‘My first Scotland squad had Al Kellock, big Jim hamilton and Richie Gray. Since then, it’s been Jonny Gray, me, Richie, Tim Swinson and Ben Toolis. It’s always been a position where, if you are not at the top of your game, you are not going to play.
‘That is why I have to do well on Sunday and be at the top of my game, otherwise I know there is somebody else waiting to take my place if my standards drop even just a little.’
Gilchrist was given the last 25 minutes against Wales in Cardiff and, in that time, convinced Townsend he had done enough to merit a starting slot against France. he replaces his Edinburgh team-mate Toolis, who drops to the bench.
‘It was a close decision who plays between Ben and Grant but we believe Grant, defensively, is outstanding,’ said Townsend. ‘he’s a hard worker. he’s an experienced player.
‘he was going to be Scotland captain on a regular basis at one stage in his career before he broke his arm. he is the man picked on merit to start against France.’
Meanwhile, former Scotland fly-half Duncan Weir has left Edinburgh to join Worcester on a short-term loan deal.