Grimes focused on World Cup

Returning Scotland lock Stuart Grimes admits he was far more concerned about regaining his place in Ian McGeechan’s World Cup plans than winning a 50th cap.

The Newcastle forward – who currently has 49 caps – missed the South Africa tour and was also due to sit out Scotland’s three World Cup warm-up matches after being banned for 10 weeks for head-butting Gloucester’s Adam Eustace.

But the Edinburgh-born player was handed a reprieve after an appeal by McGeechan and Falcons coach Rob Andrew saw his punishment reduced to seven weeks.

After missing the Scots’ victory over Italy at the weekend because of his ban, Grimes will eventually reach the coveted half-century of appearances when McGeechan’s much-changed side take on Wales in Cardiff.

Grimes was delighted to be back in the fold and insisted his priority all along had been winning a seat on the plane to Australia.

He said: “My biggest worry wasn’t my 50th cap but giving myself a chance of making the World Cup.

“My first thoughts are to get back playing, getting match fitness and showing some form – and obviously included in that is my 50th cap.

“My initial ban took me out of these three warm-up games so I wouldn’t have had a chance to play for Scotland before the World Cup, although I would have played with my club.

“The odds would have been stacked against me having a reasonable chance to make the starting XV and that was the frustrating part about missing the tour.

“But it’s a big relief to be playing again and I’m delighted with the 50th cap.

“The team played well in South Africa so in that sense I have lost a bit of ground and I was on the outside looking in. But I don’t think I’ve lost form, although I haven’t played for a while.”

The Scotland side shows 11 changes from the one which easily beat the Italians as coach McGeechan gives all his squad a chance to stake their claim for Australia.

And 29-year-old Grimes accepts that the strength in depth the country now enjoys, especially in his position, could put his future in jeopardy.

He said: “It’s shaping up well. Scott Murray and Nathan Hines played pretty well in South Africa and Jason White and Iain Fullarton are still there. So there definitely is a lot more competition in the second row and the pressure is on me a lot more than ever before.

“Hopefully that will take us to a different level and benefit the team all round but from a personal point of view it’s going to be a lot tougher in the next few years.”