Jamie Ritchie still hasn’t been at a game at Twickenham with fans present – but the Scotland captain is prepared for the 82,000 onslaught in the Six Nations opener.
Ritchie missed out on the 2019 game, and the famous 11-6 victory in 2021 to end the 38-year drought at England’s HQ was in front of empty seats because of Covid restrictions.
The vast green barn that is the modern Twickenham on Friday was echoing only to the sounds of Scotland’s thumping music – sorry, what it was is beyond my powers of recognition – during Ritchie’s first captain’s run there.
‘It will be fun’
“I am looking forward to that, it will be fun,” he said. “I was quite gutted to miss out on the 2019 game. We were down in London but not at the game.
“From 2021 most of my memories are from the changing room afterwards and how good a feeling it was.
“Where we were in the world at the time, us having the ability to do what we were doing as a group, spending a lot of time together and having that opportunity to represent our nation was something really special.
“I remember a real togetherness, and that feeling when we won in the changing room afterwards was really special.”
Last year’s win saw Ritchie go off with a torn hamstring after an hour, and he was strapped with ice on the sideline as Scotland come back to win 20-17.
“That was probably a wee bit bittersweet,” he admitted. “I think I came off after 58 minutes and I was in the changing room for a wee bit, but I came out and I managed to watch the rest of the game.
“Then I hobbled on to the sidelines to congratulate the boys before off to hospital straight afterwards.”
‘There’s no reason why we can’t beat any team’
The best shots from Captain’s Run at Twickenham.
📸 Full gallery: https://t.co/a1hugTZSOc pic.twitter.com/s4RrVSgriZ
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 3, 2023
Scotland’s recent record against England is simply strong performances in this game, believes Ritchie, and the aim is repeat that and sustain it.
“I was asked what a good Six Nations would look like for us, and I said five strong performances,” he said. “If we get that right then there’s no reason why we can’t beat any team in this competition.
“It’s about doing it week after week and game after game. Right now for us it’s about concentrating on England and whatever comes out of that.
“Then it will be Wales the following week where we’ll be looking to have another strong performance.”