GRANT GILCHRIST has been a key part of the Scotland set-up for close to a decade, having done his national service under coaches Scott Johnson, Vern Cotter and Gregor Townsend.
He has established himself as one of the most consistent locks in the European game. And yet, despite having the firm trust of his coaches and the admiration of team-mates and peers, the Edinburgh co-captain can still be under-appreciated by pundits and supporters alike, some of whom struggle to understand why the great Paul O’Connell handpicked the Scot as his preferred successor when he left French giants Toulon. Back then the Scottish Rugby Union fought tooth and nail to keep the experienced forward at the capital side and he has remained a one-club man with Edinburgh.
We asked some of those figures who know him best to articulate why he is so important for club and country, and give us more of an insight into what makes the stalwart tick…
The boilerhouse buddy
Steve Turnbull was the other half of the lock pairing when Gilchrist made his Edinburgh debut against Cardiff in 2011
“It was always obvious that he had something special. We were playing in the same position and he was a couple of years younger, so there was an element of competition and intrigue there because you didn’t want him to take your place, but he was destined to do that because of the quality he has.
This story is from the March 2024 edition of Rugby World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2024 edition of Rugby World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
RUGBY RANT
Writer Sam Larner rails against rugby's scheduling of fixtures
"The list of highlights is endless - I wouldn't change a thing"
The Wales great who also represented the Scarlets and Lions with distinction
SIX OF THE BEST
MANOR PARK have played a blinder by Nutting out So many teams in one massive weekend
Back with a bang!
The first sell-out since Covid in the final year at the Hong Kong Stadium... we bore witness to a madcap Hong Kong Sevens
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
A globetrotting, jet-heeled, kick-blocking, defender bamboozling star. Keeping up with Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe will make you dizzy
MY DAY OFF..ADAM RADWAN
THERE IS a symmetry to Adam Radwan’s favourite hobby. A player renowned for his remarkable athleticism, leaping like a salmon to score by the corner flag, likes nothing better than spending a day fly fishing on the River Tyne.
BEST FOOT FORWARD
LORENZO PANI had it all planned out. If he managed to score a try in Cardiff, he would reach for the trademark ‘Siuuu!’ celebration of his footballing idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
WHAT'S UP WITH ULSTER
Mid-Season changes to leadership, poor form on the pitch and a lot of confused looks from fans Tom English digs into troubled times at the Irish province
ROSSLYN PARK SEVENS
With blockbuster numbers, high skill and a fired-up crowd of players, former pupils and parents, this traditional event is as strong as ever
TOP 12 FINISHERS
It's try-time as we run down a list of our favourite scorers across the global game down the years