Christchurch may be the most English of New Zealand’s cities but Simon Berghan, when he was growing up there, was always aware of being on the other side when it came to the Calcutta Cup. A Stirling-born grandfather was part of the explanation for that but perhaps the main reason was the habitual rivalry felt towards England, it seems, by every other rugby-playing nation.
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When he graduated to the Scotland side after three years with Edinburgh, the tighthead prop therefore needed no schooling in the special relationship between the two countries. “I knew all about the rivalry with England, of course,” Berghan said on Friday at a Scotland training session in Galashiels, the home town of the head coach, Gregor Townsend.
“I sort of knew that everyone hates England, basically, because we did, but when I came over here it was made more obvious to me, and the reasons why, the history and that. It will be brilliant to get one over on them next week, if I can say that. I certainly am aware of the rivalry there.”
The 27-year-old – favourite to hold on to the No 3 jersey for Saturday’s Six Nations Championship clash at Murrayfield after an impressive outing against France – was grinning as he made those remarks. Away from the pitch he is too placid and thoughtful an individual to be consumed by that rivalry.
Having come off the bench in last year’s 61-21 humiliation at Twickenham, he is equally aware that Scotland will need as much composure as passion if they are to have a chance of winning at Murrayfield.
“They’re a good squad and are really well drilled. Last year it felt like they didn’t put a foot wrong, which basically tells us you have to take every chance against them; you have to play well, make chances and take them. But against any top team that’s what you’ve got to do.
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They’ve got this thing about being a big tight five but the French have that too and we played well against them, so that’s not really a concern for us. It’s about us putting our game out there and imposing ourselves on it.”
Willem Nel and Zander Fagerson, normally the first-choice tightheads for Edinburgh and Glasgow respectively, resumed training with the Scotland squad last week after being sidelined by injuries. A decision will be taken in the next day or two about their potential involvement on Saturday but, given that neither has played for his club since being injured, starting either ahead of the in-form Berghan could be too big a risk for Townsend.
Berghan, who missed the Wales game through suspension, is certainly desperate to be involved again, despite last year’s sobering experience. “Any game against England’s brilliant. Last year the result wasn’t great but I think we’re in a better place this year. We’re at home and it would mean the world to me if I got the opportunity.”