Scott loses the pounds to gain new lease of life
CARRYING a bit of extra timber is a problem which will probably affect half the nation in a few weeks’ time. Over-indulging in all manner of food and drink is hard to avoid during the Christmas festivities.
For Edinburgh’s Matt Scott, however, the task of losing a few extra pounds was something he felt compelled to address over the summer rather than as a New Year resolution.
Scott has revealed how he spent the summer trimming down to the extent that he lost a stone-and-ahalf in body weight.
A lean, mean attacking machine who has been in fine form for Edinburgh so far this season, he believes his new physique can play a key part in propelling him back into the Scotland squad.
He earned the last of his 39 caps in 2017, before injuries and a long-term concussion problem disrupted his progress for club and country.
A rejuvenated figure, Scott insists taking matters into his own hands in terms of his physique has been key to his turnaround in fortunes.
‘I think you get led by coaches in a certain way,’ said the 29-year-old. ‘Sometimes, in my case, I have perhaps been led by their perception of what kind of player I should be.
‘Whereas this season, I have gone back — rather than trying to be as big a carrier as possible and putting on a lot of size, I’ve gone back to where I felt I was more mobile.
‘I’m lucky in a sense that, whenever I do a lot of weights, I put on size quite easily. Now I’m doing another conditioning session on the bike instead of lifting more weights.
‘But what’s the benefit of me doing extra weights when I’m just going to get bigger and bigger? It’s counter-productive.
‘When I was concussed last year for five months, I was probably in the gym four or five times a week. I was running a lot as well, but I kept nudging the weight up.
‘On paper you probably look like a better athlete because, with ten extra kilos, my body fat was really low. But on the pitch I felt knackered all the time just dragging around so much extra weight.
‘You then get over the tipping point of being effective as a rugby player. I felt like I didn’t have the speed or agility to make an outside break, so I started carrying differently.
‘Now I feel I’m way more mobile. Perhaps over the years I have been moulded into a type of player with a certain kind of role that meant
I was limited and maybe wasn’t showing my full capabilities.
‘It’s a myth that the bigger you are, the better you are at winning collisions. For the forwards, yes, if you can carry a bit of extra weight, it’s good for the set-piece and close-quarters stuff.
‘But the more mobile you can be as a centre, wing or full-back, you’re going to break as many tackles and win as many collisions and get through more work.’
On forcing his way back into the Scotland squad, Scott (below) said: ‘It doesn’t come into my head week in, week out. I know that’s not going to get me there. What’s going to get me there is my process of continuing to improve and get better. I’m working hard on myself everyday to be an international player again. ‘If you don’t have those aspirations at a higher level then you will probably become stagnant.’ Scott and his Edinburgh team-mates will be looking to build on their fine start to the European Challenge Cup against Bordeaux Begles at BT Murrayfield tomorrow night. Following last week’s bonus-point win away in Agen, Richard Cockerill’s men have the chance to take control of the group if they can beat a Bordeaux team who could field Fijian star Semi Radradra. Radradra was a star in the World Cup, featuring in most people’s team of the tournament, and Scott could line up directly against him in the midfield. Asked if he would relish such a contest, he said: ‘Yeah, totally. I think we are all the same because we want to have a benchmark of playing the top side with their full team out. For myself, it will be another step up this season in terms of the calibre of opposition. ‘I’m looking forward to it.’