THE erstwhile Scotland captain Rob Wainwright, who survived his injury comeback game for new club Dundee High in front of the all-seeing eyes of Scotland sub-selector John Jeffrey, has reacted defiantly to any suggestion that Saturday's crunch Test with South Africa might be a good game to miss.
Wainwright, who was on the losing side against Glasgow Hawks on Saturday, had not played for a month since injuring an ankle in Caledonia Reds' EQT encounter with Edinburgh. Last Saturday at Murrayfield Wainwright watched from the Press benches as Scotland sank in a sea of mediocrity against Australia.
A 25-man Scotland squad will be revealed today at Murrayfield and, having survived Saturday's New Anniesland encounter, Wainwright - who faced the Springboks in the third Test with the British Lions this summer - is happy for his hat to be in the selectorial ring.
''That wasn't exactly the best preparation for a game against the world champions,'' he said, ''but I've come through it feeling good. I felt it a bit in the first half, but then I began to get my wind. It is up to Richie Dixon now. I wouldn't be at a standard of match fitness that you would like to be for a game against the Springboks, but I've come through without any ill effects.
''Without a doubt it's a huge task, but anyone who does not relish playing for Scotland shouldn't be in there, and all this talk about it being a 'good game to miss' is just such a bad attitude. So far as I am concerned you get in there and you do your best for your country. OK I may not have had many games, but so long as your heart is ticking over then you've always got a chance.
''Any game that you miss in a Scotland jersey is a sad moment for me. I would much rather be on the pitch than sitting with you boys up in the Press gallery. If selected, I'm looking forward to it. Memories of the summer with the Lions are still there. South Africa have come on a long way since then, but maybe they'll be a bit complacent coming up here.
''They'll come up after a hard victory against England and, maybe, there will be some complacency there. But the boys will be better prepared this time than against Australia.''
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