GRANT Gilchrist so impressed Vern Cotter on the then new Scotland coach’s first tour with the squad that the young lock not only became a surprise choice of captain when Greig Laidlaw went home at the midway point, but was given the role ahead of the scrum-half for the subsequent autumn Tests.
How different recent Scottish rugby history might have been had he not then broken his arm before the first of those matches, an injury which developed complications and left him sidelined for a lengthy period as Laidlaw was establishing himself on course to becoming Scotland’s most capped captain.
Gilchrist had managed to regain sufficient fitness to be selected a fair few times by Cotter thereafter, but he struggled to regain his best form so when, on Gregor Townsend taking over for his first tour, he was the subject of a very different kind of surprise, he would have been entitled to feel worried.
He drew some reassurance from a conversation with the new coach, but took the message that there was work to be done.
“I spoke to Gregor in the summer and he said he was happier with the way I ended last season,” said Gilchrist.
“In the last few games of last season I was starting to get back towards my best. He said they had always liked me as a player and I would be in their thoughts if I got back into form.
“I knew what was ahead of me. They weren’t snubbing me, saying they weren’t interested in Grant Gilchrist, they just put it down to me and said I had to make some improvements in my game.
“They told me I had to have a good pre-season and start playing really well for Edinburgh, and then they would be looking at me. It made it easier for me, knowing what I had to concentrate on.”
The obvious conclusion by onlookers was that the nature of his injury had caused him to lose his nerve slightly, fearing that it was not up to the rigours of top flight rugby, but he feels it was just a question of getting back up to pace in general after a lengthy lay-off.
“I’m not sure I was worried about my arm, it was just rugby in general. It takes a little while,” he said. “You take it for granted. You have a couple of years when you don’t play a lot but you assume you’ll go back to what you were straight away and that is one thing I learned.
“The way I looked at it I had to concentrate on X, Y and Z but I am able to do it so just get the head down and that is all I am trying to do.”
The latest surprise selection in his career, then, when he was preferred to Ben Toolis, represented affirmation that Gilchrist has done what it takes to impress the new coaching team and he is determined to seize the opportunity he was denied three years ago.
“It’s absolutely brilliant. There is no better feeling than starting for Scotland. I am just really excited and make sure that I play my game out there and do my bit for the team on Saturday,” he said.
“There is a lot of competition across the board, there are a lot a second rows, which we know, there is depth in that position so it’s a real challenge. I am delighted that I am getting my chance this weekend and I intend to take it.”
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