Rugby World Cup: Johnny Matthews 'buzzing' after Scotland call-up
- Published
Matthews is expected to play some part against Romania on Saturday with one of the hookers that faced Tonga likely to be rested
2023 Rugby World Cup |
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Hosts: France Dates: 8 September to 28 October |
Coverage: Full commentary of every game across BBC Radio 5 Live, Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and Radio Scotland, plus text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. |
Having lost Dave Cherry to a tumble on the stairs in the team hotel in Nice and Fraser Brown to a knee injury, last week Stuart McInally became the latest victim of the hex on Scotland's hookers when he was forced out of Gregor Townsend's squad.
One man's misery is another man's dream come true, though.
"Buzzing" was the word Johnny Matthews kept using when speaking about his call-up as McInally's replacement. Aged 30 and yet to be capped, Matthews had the look of a man who was still finding his sudden elevation a touch surreal.
He was in Elie walking the dog when his phone rang and it was Scotland forwards coach John Dalziel calling.
"Very shocked to get the call but delighted and just looking to throw my hat in the ring," he said.
"I don't know if anyone has ever been to Elie but the phone signal is pretty sketchy so I was getting every third word
"As soon as I saw the call I was like 'well, he is not asking for a catch-up so this must be it, could be golden' and he said 'how quick can you get to Nice?' and now I'm here."
It's just as well Matthew had kept himself in shape, because he would have had every reason to let himself go a touch, given what he has been up this past while.
"I'd had a good summer. Came out to France to see my best man, Archie [Russell, Finn's brother], went to Frankfurt on my stag do, got married just outside St Andrews, went to Crete on my honeymoon... so it wouldn't be a bad summer.
"It would be the perfect summer if I get a World Cup cap. We'll see what happens."
The Glasgow hooker had a frantic few hours getting ready for Nice. He had to high-tail it to Scotstoun to get his boots, contact his family then get himself on a 6am flight.
"It didn't really feel real until I got here," he added. "It was a whirlwind 24 hours frantically trying to pack, find my gum shield and get my boots and all the stuff I need. Once I finally got here and you get given the kit and stuff, that's when it feels real."
Johnny Matthews has a remarkable try-scoring record for Glasgow
Matthews, from Liverpool with a Scottish mother, has come to France by an unconventional route - and we don't mean air travel.
The Leeds Academy, Otley, Sedgley Park, Rotherham Titans, Hull, Sale Jets and Boroughmuir - under the coaching of Peter Wright or "big Wrighty, the legend" as he references him - were all stops along the way before he fetched up at Glasgow in 2019.
In that time, he has become a prolific try-scorer - by any standards, not just those of a hooker.
At Sedgley Park he scored 26 times in 20 games - including five in one game. For Boroughmuir he was top scorer in the Premiership in 2018-19 with 19 tries in 16 games.
With Glasgow, his numbers are daft. His first start was in February 2021. Since then he has scored a hat-trick against Zebre in May 2022, another hat-trick against Zebre in March 2023 and got five in 46 minutes against the Dragons a month later.
A hooker who has scored five tries on two different occasions might be a one-off.
He has 24 tries in just over 50 games for the Warriors, a return that any winger would be thrilled with. Given that his average game-time is around 30 minutes, those numbers are all the more startling.
It is his good fortune to benefit from a killer line-out maul at Glasgow, but he is a mobile, explosive hooker who has also run them in from distance.
"We had a brilliant season last year at Glasgow. Obviously fell short just the end. But myself, Fraser Brown and George Turner are the recipients of a good maul, so hopefully we can bring that here and we can have some joy," he said.
"I tried to keep myself in a shape that's not round over summer. I didn't want to come into Franco's [Glasgow coach, Franco Smith] pre-season unfit anyway. Anyone who has done one of them will tell you you can't be unfit going into that.
"Franco's made me a fitter player and definitely a better player. He's brilliant, he's really brought everyone on, that's clear to see. He gave me a nice phone call. Really happy for me, delighted and proud and told me to take the opportunity."
Matthews also had a word for his stricken brothers in the hooking fraternity.
"Rugby is a pretty brutal and physical contact sport and hooker is at the coalface," he said.
"You're gutted for the boys who have missed out but at the same time you've got to look out for yourself, and take the opportunity when it presents itself."
From walking the dog in Elie to a likely first cap against Romania in Lille on Saturday - it's been a staggering week for the hooker. And it's probably about to get even better.
