PROFESSIONAL rugby may be a brutal occupation, but compared to being a sevens player, it is like living the life of luxury, according to Jamie Farndale.
This week, the winger signed a permanent deal with Edinburgh Rugby having previously been part of the Scotland Sevens set-up.
And while the sevens team have the opportunity to travel to some of the most appealing places in the world such as Miami, Hong Kong and Sydney, they are not looked after in quite the way the professionals are, reveals Farndale.
“There's only a handful of coaches and the boys run things themselves (in sevens),” the 25-year-old, who was a part of the Scotland team which finished in in sixth place at the Commonwealth Games in 2018, said.
“You're not looked after, in the way you are here [Edinburgh] where you've got coaches in the gym, your shakes laid out for you and you've got people looking after you. Everything's taken care of.
“First of all, you appreciate it but you also you don't lose that work ethic, that sets you up well for well for everything.”
But rather than lament the relative lack of support he had as a sevens player, in fact, Farndale is hugely appreciative of the experience and how it helped him develop as a player and as a person.
“Work ethic-wise, I would say I've taken a lot from sevens,” he said.
“It's a very professional environment here (at Edinburgh) but I do like that I've come from a very self-sufficient environment where you've got to do things yourself, and you've got to work hard and everything is not there for you on a plate.
“It's good to have that ingrained in you for years and then come into environment like this.”
Farndale is the latest in a long line of players who have put pen to paper with Edinburgh this season, with the winger having done enough in the past few months as a member of the wider squad to persuade head coach Richard Cockerill he has what it takes to make it in fifteens.
Despite only making five appearances this season, Farndale has impressed, scoring two tries, against Zebre and Leinster, in the Pro 14.
The contract offer was, he admits, something he has had his eye on in recent times, with making the transition from sevens to fifteens always the ultimate goal for the Edinburgh native.
“I'm very ambitious with my rugby career,” he said.
“I’ve had a great time playing sevens but there are things I want to achieve in fifteens so this is another step closer to putting myself in a position to do that. It's exciting.”
The physique of sevens players is not always compatible with making the switch to the fifteens game but as one of the bigger players in the sevens squad, Farndale should be able to adapt easier than most. And while there are a number of differences between the two games, there are enough similarities that Farndale believes he will slot into the Edinburgh squad nicely.
“One of my points of difference in sevens was being a bigger guy - I was always someone who was able to stay relatively fit and fast and keep that strength on. I wouldn't say I've changed too much. I think a good attribute for me and in both in both games,” he said.
“In fifteens, there's a bit more going through your roles, knowing your detail and knowing your structure. The approach to the games is different but ultimately in both games, you just want to go out and express yourself.”
Edinburgh travel to Wales to face Scarlets in the Pro14 this Saturday for their first competitive outing in almost a month. And while Farndale will face stiff competition over the coming months for a starting spot, the squad is currently somewhat depleted due to a number of players being on international duty and so Farndale is keen to grab this opportunity.
“It's a good opportunity,” he said of the next month.
“The last opportunity when I played a lot of games was that World Cup period. I felt like I made the most of that. It's the same situation, Six Nations and people are away, it's a great time to be to put my hand up.”
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