Rugby World Cup: Big unit ready to hoe into old foes

Richie Gray drives into Santiago Fernandez during Scotland's 13-12 loss to Argentina. Gray injured a hamstring during the match but his coaches say he is fit for the pivotal Pool B clash with England. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Richie Gray is 2.07m tall with a shock of unruly blond hair atop a 127kg frame.

In other words, he stands out in a crowded room.

He is also an uncommonly good rugby player, in his second year locking Scotland's scrum and already a hugely influential figure in their national side, who this weekend stand on the brink of their earliest departure from the World Cup.

Lose to England at Eden Park on Saturday night and it's airport time for a proud nation who have made it as far as the quarter-finals at all previous World Cups, apart from 1991, when they lost their only previous cup game to the English, 9-6, in a semifinal.

Yesterday, Gray, a quietly spoken, undemonstrative type with 15 caps behind him, was asked to consider a scenario whereby Argentina belt Georgia in the final Pool B game next Sunday, the day after the Scots had beaten England by eight or more points.

That outcome would be Scotland and Argentina advancing to the last eight, England packing their bags. What would he think of that?

Gray paused a moment, perhaps wondering if there was a trick to the question.

"You honestly want me to answer that question?" he quipped to general laughter.

The Scots would have already secured their quarter-final place had they not dropped their guard in losing 13-12 to Argentina on a foul night in Wellington last Sunday.

The result is they have put themselves in a fine mess, the only saving grace being a last chance to pull the situation around. The mental switch-off, which enabled Argentine replacement Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino to score a remarkable try and rip the game off the Scots at the last, is history, defensive coach Graham Steadman insisted yesterday.

"We've parked that, moved on. It was a harsh lesson," he said. "We've got another chance, that's the bottom line, and we can't afford to let it happen again."

Gray was a towering presence that night, making big metres with the ball and being the dominant figure at the lineouts, until replaced late on having tweaked a hamstring.

He's fit again, he said yesterday - or as Steadman put it, slapping Gray's knee, "he's flying" - the only question mark concerns No 8 Kelly Brown, who suffered a head knock against Argentina.

Scotland's games have been outdoors and more often than not in grim conditions. England have played their three games at Dunedin's fine indoor stadium. That's the way it is, said Steadman, and no excuses.

England "have done the business", the Scots have squandered scoring opportunities, tried to be expansive, and need to be more clinical.

"If we're not, we'll be looking at a worst case scenario, which I don't even want to think about."

All the noises out of the Scottish camp yesterday were of pushing the offensive envelope.

"We're not going to win the game by playing conservatively," experienced halfback Chris Cusiter said. "Our whole philosophy is to be an attacking team."

Back to Gray, who won his first full cap against the All Blacks last November. In a recent interview, he singled out England coach Martin Johnson as his hero. What he wouldn't give to further scrunch up the formidable Johnson visage on Saturday night.

"If we win by eight points and progress we'll be ecstatic," he said.

The 22-year-old is evidently a fan of the TV show Glee. His favourite song? Don't Stop Believing.

How's that for appropriate for Scotland right now.