'It was an incredible debut': Scotland verdict on first Redpath outing
Beaming Scotland boss Gregor Townsend has hailed the polished impact Cameron Redpath enjoyed on his Test level debut, the 21-year-old midfielder playing a pivotal role in Saturday’s shock 11-6 Guinness Six Nations win over England.
Having represented England at U20s level and then trained with Eddie Jones’ Six Nations squad just eleven months ago, the involvement of the Bath centre in the Twickenham ambush was quite an achievement for someone who only trained for the first time with his new international teammates at Oriam on January 25.
His involvement in that Scotland training week was cut-short, Redpath required to head back to England and come off the bench for Bath in their heavy Premiership loss at Bristol. However, he was able to spend the full week with the Scots leading into Saturday’s round one opener and it was more than ample time for him to adjust to the demands of playing at the highest level.
Redpath signed off with a 40-metre gain from his four carries, five tackles and a crucial penalty-winning turnover that helped prevent England from mounting a comeback. Redpath’s effort shone when compared to opposite number Ollie Lawrence, with whom he partnered in the England U20s midfield in 2019.
Lawrence managed just a single carry for a three-metre gain, so dominant were the Scots who enjoyed 63 per cent possession and 59 per cent territory in a contest they fully deserved to win.
"You never atone for a game like this, this stays with you for a long time"
– England boss Eddie Jones was in waspish form with the media at his post-match presser… but he still managed to congratulate Scotland#ENGvSCO #SixNations
https://t.co/k1nIDbRZTO— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 6, 2021
It was an outcome a world away from the experience of Scottish boss Townsend when he made a 1993 Test debut at Twickenham, losing 26-12 and going on to lose on four further occasions at the London venue. No wonder he was overjoyed that Redpath hit the jackpot first time round in an international career that the coach has already predicted could well last for ten years.
“I thought it was an incredible debut,” said Townsend. “To come into a squad that you have not trained with before, to meet players for the first time and then integrate into our way of playing and getting used to new players – we saw his skillset, his confidence, his maturity.
“We have seen that at Bath and we have seen it in training, but you don’t expect someone on their debut to have such an accomplished start when you are just new to a team, against England of all teams in a place where we have not won for so long, but he was excellent.
“He got on the ball a lot on the first half which helped him and he did well when he got involved, some really good carries, some really good passes and he secured an excellent jackal penalty for us in the second half. He showed his competitiveness, his skill and it’s really exciting what he can achieve in his career, what we can do with him over the next few years.
“I know what I did in ’93, which was not play very well on my debut. It was a much better debut for Cam Redpath then I had back in ’93, that’s for sure.”
'When he got named in the Scotland squad I played Flower of Scotland through the speakers when we having breakfast' ? #ENGvSCO #sixnations https://t.co/wi3N9wzUji
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 4, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Hiding coming up for Saders.
1 Go to commentsDagg really does go down some rabbit holes doesnt he? In the name I guess.
6 Go to commentsHey Brett I’m one who is looking forward to seeing JS back on the rugby field. I was under the impression that a large portion of his contract was via a third party so RA isn’t having to foot the bill My big concern is around the Tahs and what is happening there, why are so many players bailing. Is it the program, the coaches or the culture. Joe Schmidt recently said he had been at the Tahs all week and DC is a good coach. Something doesn’t gel , 10 front row forwards in a season that’s not bad luck
13 Go to commentsIncorrect title. He hasn’t said Furlong is one of the best scrummagers. He said he is one of the best props.
1 Go to comments“_It seems like a crazy thing that he was counting them_“ Are you stupid, mate? Anyone with more than half a brain understands that he meant “a lot” or something similar. Do you really think he was counting? “*Goode*: Told you, Jim!“ No, you banana. You said, explicitly, that the Irish players didn’t say what EE said they did. Even though you weren’t there. Even though you didn’t hear a word they said. M0r0n.
107 Go to commentsI am sure that Scott Robertson did do the courtesy of telling Sam Cane that he was not in his All Black plans and NZR would support him if he wished to sign a lucrative pension playing out his career in the cream puff rugby that is Japan’s Top League. I fail to see this as a negative as Israel Dagg is trying to spin it. Razor allowed Cane to leave with dignity rather than being unceremoniously dumped as was Buck Shelford.
6 Go to commentsHey rugbypass can I also get involved with writing rugby articles?
1 Go to commentsHey rugbypass can I also get involved with writing rugby articles?
1 Go to commentsAT THE END OF THE DAY THE TEAM WITH 4 WORLD CUPS WILL ALWAYS GET TO TELL THE OTHER NATION TO SUCK MY BALLS. THIS IS A SCIENTIFIC AND IRREFUTABLE FACT.
107 Go to commentsWish him and his family the best in his retirement from International rugby and into the future.
1 Go to commentsSelf proclaimed expert/pundit Andy Goode and his very personal views on referees…Why recalling them in such an article as if he were an undisputed authority on the subject ? Only because fellow writer ?
1 Go to commentsLate growth spurts are a common problem over here. I’m well over 30, and I just started having a growth spurt too. Could be a world class prop soon.
1 Go to commentsas much as the challenge cup is a bit of a nothing competition, winning it would still mean something. last year it was won by toulon, who are now something like 4th in the top 14? The year before it was won by Lyon a season before they finished 3rd in the league. The year before that the final was contested by Montpellier and Leicester - 12 months before they both became domestic champions. That should give Gloucester fans some hope.
1 Go to commentsgreat article - although I can’t help wonder whether the more relevant debate over coming years will be between Ford and Fin Smith!
12 Go to commentsMaking Scott Barrett captain might be a masterstroke….will calm him down & stop brain fades and also take pressure off Ardie, so he can just play his natural monster game. Lets see how that all pans out🧐
8 Go to commentsI’m surprised Scotland are planning to rest key players this summer - I don’t think any other tier 1 nation will be doing the same?
3 Go to commentsGreat analysis Brett and what a shame that RA haven't spent more on the tight five instead. BTW I see the latest 8-9 Combo has dropped, looking forward to that. It's incredible the amount of damage that Hamish and Eddie's egos did in such a short space of time. From memory Eddie drove the initial drive to poach league stars way back in the 00s, with community rugby paying the price in reduced funding. Australia went from 15% of its income being spent on community rugby in 2002 to 2.4% in 2015, sheer madness and look where they are now. Hamish reminds me of Scrappy Doo. Always mouthing off, spoiling for a fight with bigger dogs who'd eat him alive. Sadly RA didn't have a Scooby Doo to bail him out.
13 Go to comments*_“I love watching bone-shuddering tackles, brutal clear-outs, monster ball carries, and crushingly intense scrummaging. I love it. These things make my heart rate spike. These aren’t the only things I love about rugby, but I feel no need to pretend I don’t love them, or to apologise for loving them just in case someone thinks I shouldn’t.”_* beautifully put Flats🔥
3 Go to comments“Hidden comments” all over the place😂 Turlough’s been a busy little boy ey🤭
107 Go to commentsit’ll all be released in an autobiography a few years from now….. “Razor shafted me” blah blah blah. thinking of making Scott Barrett captain might be a good move. Could calm down his brain fades & make him an even better player for them
6 Go to comments