Ryan Wilson certainly tested Vern Cotter’s faith in him with what happened off the field, but the young Glasgow loose forward has responded and now has a chance to claim a first-choice place in the Scotland team.
The 26-year-old Glasgow Warrior was convicted of two counts assault on another rugby player, Glasgow Hawks’ Ally McLean, in a Glasgow kebab shop and fined £750, leading to a three-month suspension from all rugby and a longer one from Scotland.
The international suspension only expired before Scotland’s 48-7 victory over Italy, where Wilson performed well enough coupled with his versatility and performance in training camp to get a place in the final 31.
Wilson feels he has grown up since the infamous incident in October 2013, and now just wants to concentrate on what he can do on the pitch, continuing at the Stade de France in the final warm-up game on Saturday night.
“I am quite a positive person and try and stay as positive as I can,” he said. “What I can keep control of I will.
“I regret the whole situation. I regret everything about it now. It is in the past and now I’m moving on with the rugby.
“I have probably done some growing up in that time. I feel a stronger person, I think my head is in the right place now. Looking back I regret the whole situation but I feel like I have come out the other end.”
Wilson returned superbly for Glasgow with an outstanding performance at open side in the PRO12 final in Belfast, but nothing was taken for granted for Scotland.
“Vern said to me `work hard towards the end of the season and you will get a shot if you are playing well enough’,” he recalled.
“He also said to me during the training camp, if you do well enough you will get your chance in the third match because that is when I would be back playing. He gave me that shot.
“I didn’t think so much that I had blown it but I put myself under a bit of pressure.”
Cotter thought much of Wilson’s response in training camp and what he brings to the squad.
“Ryan gives some lineout, he’s our fastest forward. He gives us 7 and 8 and he’s aggressive, he brings an edge and he’s got a great profile for a number of positions.
“We know that Ryan can step in at 7, so he’s very useful, he’s got some good loose forward attributes.”
Wilson, who has bulked up by four or five kg since returning from his lay-off, is happy to go wherever he’s asked.
“I’m open to playing all three back-row positions. I’m a player who is happy to play anywhere there; I played 7 in the PRO12 final and thought I showed up quite well.
“We have John Hardie as the out-and-out 7 and he is a good little player. He will get stuck in, and I’m happy to chop and change.”