AS his club manager John Manson can tell him, Jamie Bhatti is following in grand traditions in representing Scotland’s ‘Wee County’ in the upper echelons of rugby union, writes Kevin Ferrie.
Way back in the mists of time, before the 24-year-old was born, Manson was, along with Rob ‘Budgie’ Cairney and the late Danny Herrington, one of ‘the Tillicoultry Troglodytes’ a unit that was transported by former Scotland captain David Leslie across the Scottish midlands to provide a hard edge to his bid to turn Dundee HSFP into a competitive force in the then top division of the club game.
They went on to represent North & Midlands together, Manson earning a Scotland cap and playing alongside the unique Herrington for Scotland A.
Bhatti would seem to be from similar stock, a lad from the Clackmannshire town of Sauchie who left school at the age of 15 and built his physical strength in traditional fashion rather than through gym work, lugging around bovine carcasses as a slaughterman, until a couple of years ago when, having started at Hillfoots then developed through at Stirling County, his potential was identified by Melrose, bringing recruitment to the Glasgow Warriors academy last year. That was followed by a then a full contract and Bhatti is now within range of an international call-up.
“I’m happy to be here and playing every week. If it happens it happens. I’d love to play for Scotland and I’ll take it if it comes. I’m just 24.”
He has more than enough to deal with in the meantime as an ever present in a Glasgow Warriors team that has started the Pro14 season well with six successive wins, but was reminded last weekend that the European Champions Cup operates at a different level.
“That was my first European game,” Bhatti noted. “Compared to the Pro14 it’s massive. Exeter are the best team in England and won it last year, they did well in Europe last year as well. The physicality was right up there with anything I’ve faced but you’ve just got to front up. It’ll the same with the other two teams in the group. Leinster (this weekend’s opposition) are a physical team with a few Lions boys in there as well, so it’ll be a test this week.
“I played six games last year during international windows. The first game was Scarlets away and we got a horsing in that game. I canna mind the score but thought to myself this is bit different to running out at Melrose on a Saturday. But it’s like anything the more you play the most you get used to it,” he reflected. “I’ll play every game if I’m allowed to.”
That sentiment fits well with his heritage.
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