Euan talks to Rugby World
In this month's Rugby World, Euan Murray discusses his aspirations for breaking into the national side, in time for next year's World Cup.
Now aged 26, Euan knows he's comng into his prime as a tighthead and he's hoping to make the most of that. "I've had a lot of problems. I've been plagued by injuries but I'm a lot more positive about things now," he says. "When I won my first cap I thought I had finally got my foot in the door, but then everything came crashing down. It was good in a way because it was a reality check. These trials and tribulations can make you a stronger person."

Euan draws some of his new strength from religion, having become a committed Christian in the past year. "Christ has helped me," he says. "My head injury was potentialy very serious. I realised I had been close to death and it made me stop and reassess life and reassess rugby. Christ is now the most important thing in my life."

His physical well-being is improving too. "While I was suffer4ing after the head injury, I wasn't allowed to do any training. So instead of going into the next season fit and ready to go, I went in physically unprepared," he says.

"But I've worked hard with the physio team and training staff. Our fitness coach Mark Bitcon has done a great deal for me. He's excellent. I've changed a lot of things in my training and have found a new lease of life. Physically I feel very good now. Mentally I feel very strong and confident. After all the setbacks I want to really enjoy playing the sport I love."

Euan is very much his own man, a non-conformist in the world of the front row. He put his studies before his rugby to achieve a degree in veterinary medicine. But put him on a rugby pitch and the 6ft 1in powerhouse does everything you expect of a modern prop, and this season Glasgow's fearsome front row could be the engine room that drives the team to success. "We've got a new head coach in Sean Lineen and the set-up has changed and everything is really positive," Euan says. "There's a lot of confidence in the squad. I look at my team-mates and see a will to win."

Samoan loosehead Justin Va'a has joined the Warriors and with 35-times capped Canadian prop kevin Tkachuk already there along with Euan - plus Scotland hooker Scott Lawson - there is plenty of class in the front row. "It's very good to have internationals to choose from in every position," says Euan. "Competition for places like that breeds success and it gives you the ability to rotate the squad, knowing that the quality will be equal."

This month Glasgow's attention will turn to the European Challenge Cup, where they are grouped with Narbonne, Saracens and GrAN Parma. Their first match is away to Saracens, before they entertain the Italians, and Euan is relishing the challenge that lays ahead.

"The teams in our group are all good teams. It's not the Heineken Cup but it's still a good quality competition. Wasps won it the year before they won the Heineken Cup, so teams use it as a stepping stone. In any competition it's the people who want to succeed the most who will win it. It comes down to individual games and self-belief. Each game will be challenging, but it's an exciting competiton because of that."

Euan is not bullish enough to place Glasgow as favourites to win, but he admits: "I've been at Glasgow three years and this squad is better than any other we've had here."

Some eye-catching performances in the Magners League and Challenge Cup might remind Hadden of Euan's existence before the forthcoming November Tests, and Euan is certainly keen to rejoin the Scotland squad in the second season of Hadden's buoyant reign.

"t has been brilliant to see the steps that have been made. Success breeds confidence and they've really gone forward with a strong leader in Jason White," he says. "There are some very good, experienced players ahead of me - players such as Bruce Douglas, Craig Smith and Gavin Kerr can all play at tighthead. But I don't look at te other players, I lookm at myself. I must do my best ad if they get selected, then good for them."

That might suggest that Euan has a relaxed attitude to his Test future, but there is still plenty of ambition and determination within. "I've got aspirations for the World Cup Squad," he says. "I realise that I enjoy rugby when I'm playing well, to my potential, and I believe that if I do that, then selection will follow."

This article was posted on 11-Oct-2006, 11:56 by Hugh Barrow.