REID FEARED WORLD CUP EXIT OVER VIDEO JOKE

SCOTLAND forward Gordon Reid has revealed he feared that a frustrated Gregor Townsend was going to send him home from last year’s World Cup in Japan — for teaching a local some colourful Scottish language. The prop posted a video on social media of the team’s liaison officer, Kas, repeating some well-known, if explicit, Scottish phrases. The footage, posted five days before the disastrous opening 27-3 defeat to Ireland, went down well with the fans — but got the 33-year-old into trouble with head coach Townsend and his bosses. Reid, who is well known as one of the game’s jokers, was carpeted for the incident and has confessed he thought his tournament was over. ‘Gregor was upset because we lost the first game,’ said Reid. ‘I think he was disappointed and he just wanted to take his frustration out on somebody — and I was that person. ‘I don’t think he wasn’t annoyed about the video, as such, it was just more about the game and he just wanted to have a reaction.’ Asked if he had ever been told by Scottish Rugby’s media team to tone down his exuberant character, he said: ‘Of course they have. I’ve had a few run-ins. ‘In my defence, it’s all fun. I’m not out there to hurt anybody. ‘For example, the guy that I was teaching some Scottish slang to, if there was any chance of him losing his job or being upset about it or anything like that, it would have been taken down straight away. ‘I asked him before anything was put up (on social media), and if there is anything I put up that involves anyone else I make sure it’s clear they’re okay with these things. ‘That was the one that got me into trouble. In my head, I thought I was going home, the way I was getting disciplined, as such. ‘I thought: “That’s me, I’m going home, I’m going home” over a Tweet.’ Reid is on the look-out for a new club this summer after his short-term deal with Northampton in March led to him managing just three training sessions and no games before the country went into lockdown amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The 41-times capped international is hopeful that he could return to Glasgow Warriors where he began his professional career and where he had a stint last season in a partnership contract with Ayrshire Bulls. He told BBC Scotland’s Rugby Podcast: ‘It has to be the right place for myself. Ideally, it would be Glasgow, and I’m open about that. ‘Glasgow would be great, a part-time contract and I could concentrate on the new business I’ve started up. I honestly don’t know (if that’s a possibility). I don’t know what’s happening with the SRU, but my agent’s on the case. ‘It would have to be on my terms for a change, everything else has been on the club’s terms.’