MIGHTY SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
Ritchie was in awe of Scots skipper White in 2006 and now wants to emulate idol
THE first Scotland game Jamie Ritchie attended as a young fan was the opening 2006 Six Nations showdown with France at BT Murrayfield. It was a match he has never forgotten as it had a profound effect on the impressionable nine-year-old.
Already a rugby addict playing small-sided games with his pals and in the mini-section at Howe of Fife, he was blown away by the atmosphere and one Scotland player in particular.
Although Sean Lamont grabbed the headlines with two tries in the 20-16 win, it was the performance of Scotland captain, now Sportsmail columnist Jason White, that inspired him.
He looked on in awe at the way White, who won his 50th cap that day, never stopped running and put his body on the line time and time again for his country. From that moment, the back-row forward became his rugby hero.
‘From all the Scottish players through the years, starting from when I was young boy at my first game against France, Jason White is still my Scotland hero,’ said Ritchie, now 22.
‘Worldwide, Kieran Read of New Zealand was the other. Those two are the ones that always stick in my head and who I wanted to be like.’
White, who won 77 Scotland caps, will be in the Murrayfield press box working for
Sportsmail when Ritchie plays in the Six Nations opener against Italy in what will be his first appearance in the competition.
Up until now, Ritchie’s six caps for Scotland have all been on summer tours and in November Tests. Emulating his hero White by playing in the Six Nations for the first time will be the pinnacle of his career to date.
‘This is for real, this is the big time,’ said Ritchie. ‘Playing in Six Nations games is what I used to dream about. It comes around every year and every year I wanted to be involved. It may happen this year.’
There is a great chance that it will because although Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend hasn’t finalised his starting team, Ritchie’s ability to play on either flank will be invaluable.
That gives Townsend the option of playing either Ritchie or John Hardie at seven in place of the injured Hamish Watson or pick him at six and Hardie at seven against the Italians.
‘There are a few guys who are out with injury and unfortunately Hamish (Watson) picked up his at the weekend, which is a shame for him,’ said the Scotland back-row.
‘There is always huge competition in that area regardless if there are boys injured or not, but I think there is an opportunity there. I feel equally fine at six or seven and try to do the same thing in both positions, so I would be happy to play in either jersey. ‘The way I play the game, I like to get involved at the breakdown, try to get my hands on the ball in the wide channels and be a good defender. For six and seven, that’s a huge part of the game. It just depends where you are on the side of the scrum. ‘I’m a good line-out forward as well, so even if I’m at seven, depending on who the other personnel are, it might determine if I’m in the line-out or not.’ Ritchie is well used to playing at six with Hardie at seven as the pair did it for two seasons at Edinburgh before Hardie, now at Newcastle Falcons, left last summer. ‘I will play anywhere for Scotland and if I am at six and Hards (John Hardie) at seven that is fine as we used to play together at Edinburgh and I know him well,’ he said. ‘It’s always good fun smoking someone on the opposite side and getting a turnover off the back of one of John’s. He is very good to play with. ‘Either way, I think I played well enough in the autumn to show that I can go well at international level so, if I get the nod against Italy, then hopefully I get a good run.’ Ritchie goes into the Six Nations with his star at an all-time high after some fine performances for Scotland in the November Test matches and for Edinburgh in the Guinness Pro14 and the Heineken Champions Cup. He was rested for their match against Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth yesterday to keep him fresh for Scotland duty. There is a spring in his step and a real air of confidence around him because of the way he has been playing. ‘Off the back of seven straight wins with Edinburgh things have been awesome, especially the last two weeks,’ said Ritchie. ‘Away in Toulon was an amazing place to go, one of the most famous stadiums in Europe, and to come away with a win like that, when we probably left a couple of tries out there, was an incredible feeling. ‘Then to come home and beat Montpellier the way we did to qualify for the Champions Cup knockout stages was amazing.’ So what does White think of Ritchie, who looked up to him for so many years? ‘It is an honour to be recognised by Jamie as he is one of Scotland’s top young players,’ said White. ‘I see him as a similar player to John Barclay in that he has a terrific work rate, is a born leader and a fantastic player. He has a maturity beyond his years and I think he will be a big player for Scotland in the Six Nations.’