Stafford McDowall revealed his shock at being informed he could be Scotland co-captain for the primary time in the summertime tour opener towards Canada on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Glasgow Warriors centre was requested by Gregor Townsend to guide the aspect together with Edinburgh flanker Luke Crosbie for the sport at TD Place Stadium, Ottawa, the place 5 gamers will make their debuts with 5 different uncapped gamers on the bench.
Will probably be solely a 3rd Scotland look for McDowall, who gained his first cap in a World Cup warm-up sport towards Italy in 2023 earlier than making his Six Nations debut towards Eire in Dublin earlier within the yr.
He mentioned: “Gregor informed me after we first got here into camp final week, he informed me and Luke collectively that we’d be co-captains, so it was little bit of a shock.
“I used to be a bit overwhelmed and was straight on to the cellphone to my dad and informed him and he’s really popping out to the sport on Saturday. So I feel he’s fairly excited for it as effectively.
“He was at all times planning to return to 1 sport after which as quickly as he heard I used to be co-captain he mentioned, ‘OK, that’s the one, I’ll be there for that one’.
“It’s a special occasion for my household as effectively. My dad has clearly performed such a large function in my profession that I’m glad to share that day with him as effectively.”
McDowall believes his standing at Warriors will assist him address the pressures of main his nation.
He mentioned: “I feel being a part of the management group at Glasgow has been huge for my growth, having the boldness to place my ideas ahead.
“The management group is so open that everybody can share their ideas and everybody contributes in their very own means.
“I don’t assume it modifications a lot when it comes to what you need to get out of the tour, at the start it’s your efficiency.
“Clearly I don’t have a number of caps myself however I’m most likely one of many older, extra skilled execs in that group.
“If I can lead by enjoying my very own sport and enjoying my very own sport effectively, then that’s most likely one of the simplest ways to do it.
“I feel everybody’s simply actually excited to play for Scotland. Clearly we’ve a number of new caps in the identical sport they usually’re all simply actually glad to place one of the best foot ahead right here.”
After taking up the Canadians in Ottawa, the Scots face the US in Washington on July 12, then meet Chile in Santiago on July 20 earlier than ending off the tour towards Uruguay in Montevideo seven days later.
Canada
Scotland
McDowall believes the boldness from Glasgow’s beautiful success towards Bulls within the United Rugby Championship last in Pretoria final month, the place they got here again from 13-0 all the way down to win 21-16, will percolate via the Scotland squad, albeit he didn’t play within the sport as a consequence of a hand damage.
He mentioned: “The boys who performed in that last and everybody within the squad I assume, has simply taken a lot confidence from the truth that they went to a spot like Pretoria and undoubtedly didn’t have their very own means.
“They went 13-0 down earlier than the tip of the primary half. It reveals everybody that it may be performed in most likely one of many hardest locations to play rugby on the planet, towards an excellent group as effectively.
“It’ll give everybody huge confidence that relating to these powerful factors in video games, they only know we’ve bought the gamers and we’ve bought the techniques in place to stay it out.
“Clearly I didn’t get the prospect to play within the last however to be part of it, seeing the way in which the group ready via the week and the boldness they took into that sport and the way in which they dealt with the powerful moments, it undoubtedly filtered proper via the entire squad and hopefully will filter all the way down to right here as effectively.”
