Rory Darge feels “refreshed” and ready to lead Scotland into Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations showdown with France after dismissing any concerns about being exposed to such a big match following a six-week injury lay-off.
The 23-year-old flanker has been sidelined since sustaining knee ligament damage while playing for Glasgow against Edinburgh on December 30 but – after being named national team co-captain by Gregor Townsend last month – he has been deemed fit enough to start against Les Bleus at Murrayfield.
Darge played down any notion that his lack of recent game time might be an issue.
“Really good,” he said, when asked at the pre-match captain’s run press conference on Friday how he was feeling.
“I’ve played a lot of rugby the last year and a half so a five-week break is not the end of the world.
“It’s not a complete break because I’ve been working hard in the gym and rehabbing but compared to the physical and mental toll of playing rugby every week, I just feel fresh and I’m really looking forward to playing.
“I’ve just been trying my best to get back as quickly as I can and in as good a condition as I can.
“With the physios, it’s sometimes quite dynamic in terms of the date you will be back. It’s dependent on ligament tests and things like that.
“Getting too caught up in it initially would have been the wrong thing to do, but now I’m back I’m obviously delighted. There are not many better games – it’s one of the ones you really want to play in.
“I’ve had issues with this ligament before, it is what it is, but I don’t have any concern about it. I’m used to coming back from injury.”
Darge has skippered Scotland once previously after leading the team in a World Cup warm-up match at home to Italy last July, but this weekend’s match is his first since he and Finn Russell were named as co-captains.
“I’m excited,” he said. “Gregor obviously gave me the opportunity last year and that was a special week.
“I remember the whole week really well.
“This time it’s obviously a Six Nations game at home against one of the best teams in the world, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Saturday’s match represents Darge’s fourth Six Nations start after he missed last year’s championship through injury. His first start for the national team came at home to the French two years ago, when he scored in a 36-17 defeat.
“I remember the anthems, that was a goosebump moment being my first Scotland start and first game at Murrayfield,” the back-rower recalled. “Then the try, in terms of moments that is probably right up there in my career.
“I don’t score many tries, it’s not a massive part of my game, but to score in front of a home crowd and my family was really special.
“Maybe two years ago, my first time involved in the Six Nations, there were more nerves involved whereas this one I’m just really looking forward to it.
“I’ve had the experience of it before, I love playing at Murrayfield in Six Nations, the anthems and everything are unbelievable. The build-up to the game really gets me up for it.”
Darge watched from the stand last weekend as Scotland kicked off their campaign with a hard-fought 27-26 win away to Wales and he is hoping to make it back-to-back victories – a scenario that would leave them sitting nicely ahead of their next two matches at home to England and away to Italy.
“That’s what we’re going out to try and do,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot physically.
“We can’t really look further than Saturday. I know that’s the easy answer, but it’s true.
“After that, it would be massively exciting (the possibility of competing for the title), but we really have to concentrate on Saturday.”
Rees-Zammit relishing Mahomes advice as former rugby star eyes spot on Chiefs roster
Louis Rees-Zammit has likened Patrick Mahomes to an extra coach as he looks to make an impact in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Rees-Zammit shocked rugby union fans in January when he announced he was turning his back on the sport to enter the NFL's International Player Pathway programme.
He was signed by two-time defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City in March and is now looking to earn a place on their roster for 2024, learning the role of running back at the Chiefs' rookie minicamp after attending another training camp alongside Mahomes.
Rees-Zammit has made sure to pick the brains of Mahomes, who has led the Chiefs to six straight AFC Championship games and won three Super Bowl rings since being drafted in 2017.
"It was amazing, all the quarterbacks and receivers were there, we were running routes, we were working in the gym", Rees-Zammit said of his experience at that camp in Texas.
"It was a great two weeks, I definitely learned a lot with Pat and the other boys."
Asked if Mahomes was acting like an extra coach, he said: "100 per cent.
"I'm new to the game so I'm trying to pick everyone's brains and try and pick up the sport as quick as possible because I want to be out there playing.
"The way I can do that is picking the brains of everyone that's currently here and trying to learn the game as quickly as possible."
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has been impressed by Rees-Zammit's attitude, saying: "He's so diligent with everything and wants to be so good at everything. I appreciate that.
"I like the fact he's got shorter steps initially, that's a good thing as a running back. If you're a long strider in there you've got to really work on making it through those tight adjustments you have to make. He seems to have a nice feel."
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Fraser Brown ‘hugely proud’ of Scotland career as he announces rugby retirement
Fraser Brown declared himself “hugely proud” of his Scotland career as he announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 34-year-old Glasgow hooker has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham last May and he has now conceded defeat in his bid to return to action.
Brown won 61 Scotland caps, with the first of them coming against Italy in 2013 and the last in the Six Nations match at home to Ireland in 2023, the same game incidentally in which Stuart Hogg won his final cap. The front-rower went to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“When you have a serious injury like I did with an ACL at the end of your career, it is always going to be hard to come back from,” Brown told Scottish Rugby.
“That probably made it a little easier to announce my retirement but it’s still a surreal and strange feeling.
“I’m hugely proud to have played so many times for Scotland during my career. To get one cap was great, but then my second one came against the All Blacks at Murrayfield which was such a special occasion.
“To reach 50 caps was a big moment as I had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout my career and to be part of the growth process of the team which has resulted in where they are now has been cool.”
At club level, Brown made 141 appearances for Glasgow after joining from Edinburgh in 2011.
The hooker helped them win the Guinness Pro12 in 2015 with victory over Munster in the final in Belfast, while his last appearance for Warriors proved to be last season’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Toulon in Dublin.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith paid tribute to Brown, saying: “Fraser is the epitome of a modern professional and someone who should serve as a role model to any young player starting their journey.
“The respect with which he is held, not only within the Glasgow Warriors community but within the wider rugby family, should serve to underline the achievements he has earned throughout his career and the manner in which he has achieved them.
“His work ethic and determination to bring the best out of the people and players around him has been clear to all throughout his career.
“I wish him the very best for whatever comes next and I know he will apply that same work ethic and determination that made him one of this club’s most distinguished Warriors.”
Brown becomes the second experienced Scotland front-rower to announce his retirement in the space of a month after Edinburgh prop WP Nel recently revealed he would be hanging his boots up at the end of this season.
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