Homework assignment will be key to McInally as All Blacks test beckons
FRESH from scoring his first two tries for Scotland, new hooker Stuart McInally admitted he will have a wry smile studying the All Blacks front row this week.
McInally was like his mentor, Ross Ford, in emerging through Scotland age-grade sides as one of the most promising back rows in the Scottish game, captaining Scotland from Under-17 to Under-20 and winning senior caps, usually with the No8 on his back.
However, he was persuaded to switch to the front row just four years ago and, despite the technical difficulties in changing position in the modern game, yesterday provided a rewarding of dedication for the 27-year-old.
Now, after games against all Six Nations opposition and Japan, he is in line to face New Zealand — an opportunity he has dreamt of for most of his life. And, of course, he wants to mark it with a first Scottish victory against the world champions.
‘I will do my homework like everybody else,’ he said. ‘I’ll do a lot of work on the opposite front row now I’m a hooker — I never thought I’d say that a few years ago!
‘I’ll also spend a lot of time watching scrums. I like to cover all bases. It keeps me calm going into games knowing that I’ve done everything, so I’ll certainly have a good look at them.
‘They’re a quality team who like a high ball-in-play time as well. They’ve got a lot of good individuals and work incredibly well as a team. They have a good scrum, which I think is underrated, and that’s something I’m really looking forward to, challenging myself against the best team in the world.
‘If I get selected for that, it will be right up there as one of the highest moments, so I’ll enjoy some downtime tonight but then open the laptop over the next few days.’
His power was key in both of his tries, the hooker playing down the fact that he had only to dive over the line from five yards out after being set up by his pack in lineout drives, but he was impossible to stop due to his technique and strength. He admitted, however, that he was not disappointed to be taken off and denied the chance to go for a third.
‘No, I was very tired!’ he said. ‘We had a lot of ball in play. We were deliberately trying to keep the ball in play as much as possible, so it was tiring. I was just pleased to play and that we found a way to win.
‘When we were 32-10 up, there was a bit of breathing space but it was a concern how quickly they were responding to our tries. We just seemed to get a bit of breathing space and then they hit straight back, so in a way we’re disappointed but it’s also maybe better than the game going perfectly because it means we won’t get ahead of ourselves for next week.’
Ford, currently out injured, texted his Edinburgh team-mate yesterday morning and McInally revealed that as much as he feels he owes the Borderer for his own progress, he had benefited from taking a step back from putting himself under pressure to replace him.
‘We have a good relationship and I can rely on him to be there when I need any help,’ he added. ‘I owe him a lot and all the hookers at Edinburgh, Neil Cochrane as well,
because they have worked tirelessly with me over the last four years. I owe a lot to them.
‘But the last couple of years, I’ve just tried to work hard and if I get an opportunity, I try to make the most of it. I don’t like putting too much pressure on myself. I did that a lot when I was younger, trying to play so well every week for Edinburgh to try to get to play for Scotland and it didn’t do me any favours, so now I’m just trying to live in the moment a bit more and actually enjoy playing for Scotland without putting too much pressure on myself — and it went well today.
‘My try was from five metres out but it was my first try for Scotland, so I’ll remember it. The maul was something we’d targeted before the game that we wanted to get purchase in and we worked hard on it last week, so it was good that we got some reward for it.
‘But it (the dressing room) is very
It would be one of my highest moments but I’ll enjoy downtime and then crack open the laptop
calm in there. We were pleased to score a record number of points against Samoa in front of a record crowd — that’s huge for us that we’re getting bums on seats, getting people to come and watch us — and to score that amount of points, we’re pleased with.
‘We conceded too many and that’s something we need to look at, but we won the game and we’re really pleased — and pretty calm. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves. It was a win against a good team but we have the biggest Test of all next week, so a day or two of recovery and then it’s back to work.’