Switch to France is challenge for Hines

LAST New Year, Nathan Hines brought in the bells at his home in a chilly North Berwick. Looking forward to the Six Nations as part of Vern Cotter’s Scotland coaching staff, he had his whole year planned out in his diary. Like most things in life, however, things have not turned out the way he expected.

Twelve months on as he looks out on to the pitch at the Altrad Stadium in Montpellier, where the winter sun continues to shine, he admits he could never have predicted starting the year in frozen Scotland and ending it in the south of France.

As a topsy-turvy 12 months go, 2017 has been a belter for Hines, who is standing in T-shirt and shorts — which he certainly wouldn’t get away with in North Berwick at New Year.

He has gone from Cotter’s righthand man with the Scotland national team to his right-hand man at French Top 14 club Montpellier — all in the space of 12 months.

Hines admits the upheaval has been tough and his family have taken time to settle regardless of the beautiful, all-year-round sunny surroundings he now lives in.

‘It’s sunnier for sure, but it still takes a bit of time to find your groove,’ said the 77-times capped former Scotland international.

‘Certainly a lot has changed this year. The kids are still begging to go back to Scotland; they miss it.

‘We invested two years of our lives in rugby and in general life there, so it will just take time to adjust to staying in France.

‘This is also a great place and I’m sure in a couple of years we’ll feel the same about here, but there has been a lot going on.’

The 41-year-old admits it was a shock to the system when he and Cotter did not get their contracts renewed with the Scotland national team.

With the SRU set to lose Gregor Townsend to a top English or French club, they decided to offer him the Scotland job and dispense with the services of Hines and Cotter.

Hines, though, bears no grudges, especially because of the way things have worked out. Cotter is supposedly the highest-paid club coach in the world, earning around £900,000 a year — around double what he was on at Scotland.

There is no figure for what Hines is paid, but it is fair to say he will be well looked after.

‘It is professional sport,’ he said. ‘As a coach, you just hope you have left the team you had been with in a better place than it was when you started, which I think we did.

‘It is also good to see Gregor doing so well with Scotland since he took over the post.

‘You don’t know when you’re going to get asked to move on; all you can do is your best and develop something that can move forward.

‘This was a good opportunity to move to Montpellier, coming just after we left our Scotland jobs. There is ambition at this club and that is a good position to build from.

‘I miss Scotland, especially the people. I’m still in contact with friends I made in Gala when I first moved there. The people in North Berwick were great, too. It was a fantastic community and we really enjoyed being part of it.

‘Our neighbours came across to see us when we were in Glasgow for the Champions Cup match and we were able to swap Christmas presents. Those are the things you miss, the relationships you form with people.’

Cotter and Hines are proving to be a formidable double act with Montpellier, who beat Glasgow Warriors back-to-back to give them a chance of making the knock-out stages of the European Champions Cup.

They are doing well in the Top 14 and their star-studded side look odds-on to make the play-offs at the end of the season.

Hines will be joined in France next season by Finn Russell, a player he knows well from his Scotland days.

The Glasgow Warriors fly-half is joining Racing 92 of Paris as a direct replacement for All Blacks legend Dan Carter on a reputed salary of £750,000 a year.

It is a big step for Russell, but Hines believes he will fit in.

‘Finn will have a pack who will give him ball,’ said Hines. ‘He will do well here and, like me, I am sure he will enjoy the experience.’