Lost passports, cheap shots, and bloody noses

When Cameron Redpath lines up at outside-centre for Scotland against Fiji in Suva tomorrow morning, he’s likely to have had very little time to take in his surroundings and appreciate what the country has to offer.

Credit to Scotland for continuing to go to places where other Home Nations rarely consider setting foot in – last summer’s four-Test tour of the Americas is a case in point – but given the nature of current ‘tours’, his experience of Fiji will be very different, and much briefer, to that of his dad’s.

Bryan Redpath’s first Scotland tour was to the Pacific Islands in 1993. Downing his joinery tools for the best part of six weeks, the then uncapped scrum-half from the Borders had his eyes opened – and his ribs rearranged, not by a shuddering tackle by a Fijian, but by one of his teammates.

“It was a great eye-opener to see what the Islands are like and how dedicated to rugby they are. Going to and from training, you’d see grown men run to a patch of grass in their bare feet to play sevens, whether it was with a shoe or a rugby ball. It was just so different, and great to see the passion they had for the sport, and some of the scenery was breathtaking.

“It was my first tour, so I have only got fond memories – apart from Doddie (Weir) kneed me in the back, trying to cheap shot someone and hit me instead. I had to come off in the last 15 minutes; it felt like he’d broken my ribs.”

Gloucester flanker Ian Smith and Kenny Logan, playing fullback, both scored tries as Scotland overcame Fiji 21-10. The fly-half Ally Donaldson, who won the vote over Gregor Townsend for the No.10 jersey and has since won a retrospective cap, kicked three penalties and a conversion.

It’s a wonder that Townsend made the trip at all, given his forgetfulness. “I remember he lost his passport in customs and we spent around an hour looking for it, and then he put his suit down and walked off, and Andy Nicol picked it up for him,” his long-time half-back partner, Redpath, recalled.

Scotland won all three games in the Fiji leg of their tour, and two in Tonga, before the squad, captained by lock Chris Gray, finished up in Samoa and then Hawaii.

“Samoa, back in ’93, were playing in the Super 10s, as it was known then, and were a good side. It was the only game of the tour that we lost (28-11). I just remember Carl Hogg having his nose broken by their scrum-half and thinking, ‘ow, that looks really sore.'”

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

2

Draws

0

Wins

3

Average Points scored

20

35

First try wins

60%

Home team wins

100%

Redpath senior returned to Fiji in 1998, and Scotland lost 51-26. It was a hapless performance ahead of a two-Test series against Australia, and Scotland can’t afford to fall flat on their faces like that again, even with eight players away on Lions duty.

“Look at the Fijian players who are playing around the world now, how many players are playing in France, playing in Europe at the highest level. So it is a very different kettle of fish from 27 years ago.

“And with the players that are missing through Lions duty, it is not Scotland’s strongest team. But at the end of the day, you have still got to go there and play a Test match, and that’s what you have to get your head around, and enjoy it as well, because it is a wonderful place to play.

“It’ll be a challenge, a very tough game, but hopefully they can keep performing. It is a challenge for a group of youngsters to come in and shine and put a marker down for Gregor to say, ‘if the big boys get injured, I am here.'”

Currently positioned one place outside of the top six in the world rankings, Scotland are set to be in the second band of seeds when the draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup takes place within the next six months.

They have six matches left to change that, and in theory, get themselves a more favourable draw. After the Fiji game, Scotland face Samoa in Auckland, and then they play four home games against the USA, New Zealand, Argentina and Tonga in November.

“That’s why the tour is important, that’s why everyone that is there, irrelevant of a Lions tour, has to keep that consistency, and they have been pretty good at that over the past few years when they have had some changes,” added Redpath.

“The next two games will be very tough, and it doesn’t matter how you win, you just have to get one more point than them. You don’t have to entertain, and sometimes you can fall into that (trap) with the athleticism of Fiji, sometimes you have to scrum for pens and kick them and win games that way.”

Scotland have been ranked either fifth, sixth or seventh for well over two years, and Redpath believes Townsend is doing a good job.

“There are times when you think we can beat the top four, compete wth the top four, but it is not always easy to do that,” he pointed out.

“Look at how Wales have fallen off a cliff; England have been in and out of the top four; Australia have been in and out of the top four; South Africa and New Zealand have been very consistent in what they do; France have been very consistent in the last two to three years.

“People are quite critical, saying we have got to be a top four, top five team, but there are some bloody good teams in that top four.

“You’re going to flirt with it, you’re going to have some bad times, but you’re going to have some good times as well, so you just have to ride the wave. I think he has done a good job.”