Hugh Blake feels ready for international rugby already, and Vern Cotter may feel inclined to use him as new injuries disrupted Scotland’s pre-Six Nations training camp at Ravenscraig yesterday.
David Denton, the only specialist No 8 picked in the head coach’s squad for the championship last week, is out of certainly the first two rounds – the matches against France in Paris and Wales at Murrayfield – or perhaps longer due to a calf muscle tear he sustained in Edinburgh’s victory over Bordeaux-Begles on Friday night.
In addition, wing Sean Maitland suffered a shoulder injury and is also out of the first part of the championship. A medical bulletin from the Scottish camp said both would be released to the medical teams at their clubs and that they could come into contention for selection later in the championship.
There are plenty of options for Cotter to cover Maitland’s absence from the wing, but Johnnie Beattie now seems to have gone from being discarded from the squad last week to being the last man left standing for the No 8 shirt against France in Paris a week on Saturday.
There was no suggestion than any other players were to be called up as the squad dispersed after the three-day camp in Lanarkshire. Players attached to English and French clubs have returned to play this weekend and the squad will reconvene at Murrayfield on Monday, with any additions likely to be named then.
Meanwhile the odds have shortened on the 22-year-old Blake following Adam Ashe into the Scotland team before he’s played for a pro team, but the open side is actually late in getting to Scotland, although he plans to make up for lost time.
His sudden inclusion in the Scotland squad without having played a game for Edinburgh since his arrival on a six-month trial in November raised more than a few eyebrows, and it could have all happened 18 months ago.
That’s when the New Zealand-born grandson of Hugh Snr and Maureen Blake, both born in Glasgow, was first approached by Sean Lineen, the former Scotland international and Glasgow head coach who is now detailed to search out Scottish qualified talent abroad.
“I’m honoured and proud to be part of this, “ he said.
“I always knew I had the opportunity to play for Scotland through my grandparents, so it was always at the back of my mind. My grandparents are from Glasgow and emigrated to New Zealand, and my aunt spent a lot of time in Edinburgh when she came overseas, and married a Scotsman.
“There is a lot of Scottishness in the family especially at occasions like Christmas and whatnot.”
That said, Hugh raised in Hamilton in the North Island of New Zealand and then a student in Otago in the South, only took it seriously when he was approached by Lineen after playing for the “Baby Blacks”, at the World Under-20 Cup.
“I could have come over then,” he added. “But I’d signed a contract to play with Otago in the ITM Cup and it had 18 months still to run, so I felt morally I should stay on and see it out. As soon as it was over, I came here.”
However he didn’t expect to find himself in the Scotland squad after playing just half a game for the Edinburgh A team and one for Melrose.
“Coming over here at such a young age I always wanted to play for Scotland and it was a big part of the overall plan, but it has come a little quicker than I expected,” he admitted.
“It’s still just a trial contract I have but I took it because it’s about backing yourself. I want to prove myself to the coaches, the SRU and the Scottish people that I have what it takes to play pro rugby here.
“I got knocked out in that first A game and that wasn’t ideal, but I got the chance with Melrose and it’s just been great to get minutes on the pitch with them. It’s different to what I’m used to but they’ve been great and friendly, and the club were really happy for me to get selected.”
There are some who are less happy that he’s been fast-tracked so quickly by head coach Vern Cotter into the squad especially at the expense popular players like Kelly Brown and John Barclay but Blake can only concentrate on himself.
“Nobody’s talked to me directly,” he said. “I’ve seen the headlines but that was always going to happen with some quality players missing out.
“I have only been picked in the squad, I haven’t been picked in the team. I want to prove to the coaches first I have what it takes and then to prove to the fans and the Scottish people.
“Being in Otago I heard all about John Leslie and Brendan Laney and the great times they had here playing for Scotland. I heard about the grief that Brendan got although not directly from him.
“Am I in for experience? I’m not too sure yet. All I can do is perform well in training and if I get selected then great.
“I pride myself on my fitness and being quick around the park. The way Scotland are trying to play suits that, I think. I mostly play seven but can play six if needed.”
Hugh feels right at home, putting voices to faces in the Scotland squad as he meets them during the current training camp, and even in his new adopted home.
“I’ve lived in Dunedin, and it’s so much like Edinburgh, even the street names are the same,” he said. “The weather is exactly the same as well, so I’ve had no trouble coping with that.”