Black and blue

Rugby reporter

Sunday 3 March 2013

F or those who might have wondered if his first-half score against England last month showed the full range of Sean Maitland's talents, there is a comprehensive tribute reel on YouTube that shows beyond all doubt that he can indeed run in tries from more than three yards out.

Sean Maitland has no regrets about leaving New Zealand to play for Scotland Photograph: PA

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Alasdair Reid

Yet the message that Maitland offers more than the ability to flop over a line is actually put over just as well by what he did in the build-up to the Twickenham try he delivered on the day of his Scotland debut. Maitland figured twice in the move that brought the score, even setting up the last-but-one ruck before Stuart Hogg slipped him the pass that put him over in the right corner.

These things are worth noting, for there had been mutterings that Maitland's one try from six outings for Glasgow was a rather meagre return for a man who arrived from New Zealand with the reputation of an unstoppable scoring machine. Sure, he topped the Super Rugby try chart in 2011, but he is a far more rounded player than many who had been there before him.And just as well, too, as rugby in the northern hemisphere tends to demand a wider range of attributes. "One thing I've improved over here is my defence," says Maitland brightly as he settles down to talk at Glasgow's Scotstoun base. "Back home we attack more because the conditions are a bit better. Over here there is more close quarter combat so we really need to work hard on our defence."How hard can be measured by the bruises and grazes he still carries on his arms and legs after last weekend's fierce battle with Ireland at Murrayfield. At times, it seemed that Ireland had decided to test Maitland's defensive qualities at every opportunity, but he stood up to the relentless onslaught, making three tackles that could justifiably be described as try-saving.All of them, presumably, of interest to Warren Gatland. Only a few months ago, the Lions coach admitted he was struggling to identify Scottish candidates for the summer tour to Australia, but they have started to form an orderly queue in recent weeks. On current form, Scotland could have five or six in the squad. On last week's evidence, Maitland would be one of them.But, of course, he's going to be coy about his Lions ambitions, isn't he? Not exactly. Not at all, in fact. "Definitely mate," he beams when he is asked if he wants to be a Lion. "It's one of my goals, for sure."Only then comes the hesitation. "I can't focus too much on that," adds Maitland, who actually went to the same school as Gatland, Hamilton Boys' High School. "You've just got to play well for your country and if it happens then it happens. We've got to keep winning, and then hopefully a few of the boys in the team will get noticed by Gatland. But, yeah, it's definitely a goal."Maitland has had other goals at other times in his life. And as with every other rugby-mad kid in New Zealand, the big one was to play for the All Blacks. Coasting through the ranks, from Hamilton High School to the national schools team to the New Zealand Schools, Under 19 and Under 20 sides, he seemed to be on that shining path, but things stalled and when the 2012 season was disrupted by injuries and form issues he took the decision to move on.He had already had tentative approaches from Scotland, but still he had to swallow hard. "I'm not going to lie," he says. "You want to make the All Blacks. As a little kid playing rugby and growing up in New Zealand, that's what you dream about – but it just wasn't meant to be. But, it's funny, one door closes and another one opens."There are a lot of talented players, especially in the back three, in New Zealand. Things weren't going to plan last year, so I talked to a few people – my family, my agent – and we drew a line in the sand and said it was the right time to move and hopefully have an opportunity to play for Scotland. "I could have waited for another year. I could have given it another crack in Super Rugby. But I thought it was the best move for me and I'm happy to say it has paid off. But this is just the start of it. I still want to prove myself a bit more."To whom? When he scored that try against England did part of him want to hold two fingers up to the folks back home? Was he happy to show them what they had lost?"Not really," he answers. "I have no regrets leaving. I've proved myself in New Zealand: I was top try scorer in 2010 and 2011, I played over half a century of games, I won a title in 2008 and I played for the New Zealand Maori teams who beat the English and the Irish. I'm happy with what I achieved over there."There is also the consideration that New Zealanders can be a bit sniffy about such things. Maitland's cousin Quade Cooper became a national hate figure when he opted to play for Australia (and subsequently became involved in a series of spats with Richie McCaw) rather than the land of his birth, and was the target of fierce abuse from New Zealand crowds during the 2011 World Cup."He was a little bit hard done by," says Maitland quietly. "I don't want to stick my nose in too much, but I think the New Zealand public could have laid off him a little bit during that World Cup. Every time he touched the ball he got booed – that's not really cool."But I think there is a difference between Australia and Scotland. I think out of all the countries, Scotland has probably got the most connections with New Zealand. If I said I was going to try to play for England I would have got a few bad looks, but everyone was real supportive about what I was trying to do."The support is gathering. Maitland admits he was slow to get into his stride when he first came to Scotland, but having since established himself as the fastest player in the Glasgow squad – he has taken the title off Sean Lamont – he clearly has no problems on that front any more. Next weekend, against an apparently improving Wales, he will win his fourth Scotland cap and he is eager to see the team dictating terms again."Wales have a class backline," he says. "They will have watched the tape of Ireland breaking through us a couple of times, so I think they will definitely come into this game with an attacking mindset. I just think we need to get the ball more, because in the first couple of games we showed what our backs can do. It will definitely be a step up again."

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