Scotland’s first co-captains Ali Price and Jamie Ritchie will share the load in all things against Tonga – but there’s one thing before kick-off that can’t be shared.
The pair have flipped a coin to decide which of them gets the honour of leading their country out of the BT Murrayfield tunnel in front of the first Scotland crowd for 600 days.
The loser of that flip gets another chance, as it’ll be him who goes to the official coin toss with referee Nic Berry and Tonga’s captain Sonotane Takulua.
‘We did speak about walking out together’
©️ Scotland will be represented by Co-Captains for the first time as @GlasgowWarriors & @LionsOfficial Ali Price and @EdinburghRugby’s Jamie Ritchie both lead the team.
Go well, lads! #AsOne pic.twitter.com/IQOAIKd5Ck
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) October 27, 2021
“You’ll have to wait and see who won,” said Ritchie, who was due to skipper Scotland in three tests in the summer when Stuart Hogg and Price were with the Lions. All three games were postponed for Covid infections.
“We did speak about going out of the tunnel together, but we decided on the coin-flip.
“Ali and I have been vice captains for quite a while, so we are used to how each other works. We share the load in terms of training and messaging. It has been pretty seamless I would say.
“Even when Hoggy is captain there is a discussion around how we are feeling in the game, what we think is relevant at the time.
“If we are camped in their half maybe we want to stay down there. Or if we feel we need to come away with some points, that will be the decision. This time we will probably share that as well.”
‘It won’t be information overload’
Price takes the backs and attack, Ritchie the forwards and defence, and they take it from there.
“It is about taking our areas and leading with all we say,” said Price. “It won’t be information overload. We have discussed what needs to be said and when.
“Speaking to the ref is the same. The coaches will meet with him and he’ll be made aware that there’s co-captains.”
Both have their own ideas about captaincy, but they also have former and present skippers who have been an influence.
“For me Greig (Laidlaw) was captain when I came in here,” said Price. “The respect the group had for him and the calmness with which he went about his work struck me.
“He was also the goal kicker and took on a lot of responsibility.
“Off the field Ryan (Wilson) at Glasgow is really excellent in making sure it’s more than a 23-man game. He thinks about families, well-being, picking up players who have not been selected.”
For Ritchie is one of his current team-mates, Stuart McInally, and also one from when he first joined Edinburgh at just 17.
“When I first came into Edinburgh, the way Roddy (Grant) was around the group and how highly respected he was, was huge.
“I just remember how good his communication was with the group, which is obviously really important as a captain.”
‘It is credit to the guys playing well at a young age’
Both are excited to be leading a team with potentially as many as eight new caps. One is particularly notable in terms of the times.
“These guys are already in the conversation at this stage of their careers,” said Ritchie. “When Rufus (McLean) starts tomorrow he will be the first player born in the 2000s to play for Scotland which is pretty awesome for him.
“The group has been pretty solid for the last wee while. Changes of players coming in and out is due mainly to injuries and other things.
“I would not say it is a massive changing of the guard. It is more credit to the guys playing well at a young age that they are involved.”
Price believes they’re all there on merit.
“You get an idea for these guys from your time together at club level,” he said. “We’ve been in camp a couple of weeks now, and these guys are here for a reason.
“They’ve been selected because they’ve got the ability and we back everyone to play with confidence and to play how we know they can.
“It is a brilliant experience winning their first caps so we have full confidence in everyone involved tomorrow to do the job.”