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The Six Nations reason why Sam Skinner is now relishing World Cup
By PA
Sam Skinner is encouraged by the squad depth of Scotland ahead of the World Cup, even though it is making it far harder for him to nail down a starting place. The 28-year-old Edinburgh lock had to be patient for game time in the Six Nations and it was only after the suspension of Grant Gilchrist and an injury to Richie Gray, he eventually got his first start –and his 25th cap – in the final match against Italy last Saturday.
Skinner feels there is intense competition for places in every position within the squad and believes it bodes well for the Scots’ World Cup prospects in France in the autumn. “It’s always a privilege to get a start for Scotland, I loved it,” he said.
“It’s an extremely competitive position which is great because it’s driving me on to get better and hopefully I’m challenging the other guys to get better as well. We’re all just fighting tooth and nail to try and get that shirt.
“Squads win championships and World Cups etc, so we will need four or five players competing for each position, and we’ve got that which is awesome. You could argue that has not always been the case for Scotland, but we have got a squad that is just so strong. It’s brilliant but it also means we have got to deliver. There is more pressure now.”
Mainstays like Ali Price and Chris Harris found themselves out of the team for most of the Six Nations, with Ben White and Huw Jones stepping in, and Skinner believes it is a sign of the overall quality of Scotland that nobody’s position is safe. He feels it is important that Scots have a group of players who will not rock the boat if they find themselves out of the team.
“It shows that if you play well, you can get selected,” he said. “No one is sitting pretty at all. Nobody just can assume they are going to start at the World Cup based on their performances so far. The squad could change again. That’s how competitive it is, which is what you want. We have got a really healthy environment from the coaching set-up to the playing squad.
"It’s tough when you don’t get selected and almost everyone will have had that at some point in their career. We have got a competitive squad that’ is trying to fight for titles and that is awesome. You want to be in a squad that is competing at the top as opposed to at the bottom.
“Everyone understands that selection might not go your way sometimes. It’s tough to take, but it’s just the nature of it. It’s challenging, but we have got a really healthy environment where people get on with it pretty well. They take the evening to digest it and then get stuck right in.”
With Gilchrist, Richie Gray, Jonny Gray and Scott Cummings also in the mix for a spot in the second row, Skinner knows he faces a fight to make sure he is named in the final Scotland squad for France. “It’s massive, it’s my purpose in rugby,” he said when asked what it would mean to him to be included.
“I’m part of two amazing sides at the moment, Edinburgh and Scotland, and I have got to make sure I’m still part of two amazing sides come the summer.”
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Latest Comments
Ireland have every right to back themselves for a win. But the key variable has little to do with recent record etc.
The reality is that Ireland are a settled team with tons of continuity, an established style, and a good depth chart, whereas NZ are fundamentally rebuilding. The questions are all about what Razor is doing and how far along he is in that program.
NZ are very close to really clicking. Against England all of the chatter is about how England could have closed out a win, but failed to do so. This has obscured the observation that NZ were by far the more creative and effective in attack, beyond the 3-1 try differential and disallowed tries. They gave away a lot of unnecessary penalties, and made many simple errors (including knock-ons and loose kicks). Those things are very fixable, and when they do so we are once again going to be staring at a formidable NZ team.
Last week we heard the England fans talking confidently about their chances against NZ, but England did not end up looking like the better team on the field or the scoreboard. The England defense was impressive enough, but still could not stop the tries.
Ireland certainly has a better chance, of course, but NZ is improving fast, and I would not be surprised at a convincing All Black win this week. It may turn on whether NZ can cut out the simple mistakes.
Go to commentsFair to say that NZ have come to respect Ireland, as have all teams. But it's a bit click-baitey to say that the game is the premier show-down for NZ.
SA has beaten NZ four times in a row, including in the RWC final.
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