‘I just want to play as much rugby as possible’
Glasgow Warriors lost one stand-off in the summer when Adam Hastings joined Montpellier but they have gained a replacement from within their own ranks.
Ollie Smith has already proved his versatility by playing at full-back, wing and centre for Franco Smith and now he is filling in at 10 for the head coach.
The experiment began last season and is continuing into the new one and he could be deployed in the playmaker’s role at some point on Saturday when Glasgow face Sale Sharks away in the opening round of the Investec Champions Cup.
“It was kind of like... not sprung on me at the end of last season, but it was just a conversation,” explained Ollie Smith.
“I came on against Cardiff and played there. That was my first taste of it, my only real taste of it. And then pretty much since then, I've been mostly just swapping in with Dan [Lancaster] at 10 and other positions and stuff. It's definitely something we've spoken about.”
‘It suits my skill set’
He says that playing alongside the likes of Sione Tuipulotu and Stafford McDowall makes it easier for him to slot in in the new role.
“It is good fun playing 10. I've always believed that it's somewhere I could play with my kind of skill set. But there are certain elements of game management and stuff that I'm not used to, so I need the guys around me with the experience to lean on a little bit.
“If the opportunity does come my way, then I'm excited to take it on as well. I don't think, until Franco came here, I'd ever played on the wing. I'd not really played 13 in professional rugby until I came back from my ACL injury. So it's something I'd be looking forward to if the opportunity presented itself, but I'm not going to shy away from it. It could be exciting. It could be an avenue for me.”
18 starts in three different positions
Smith played 21 times for the Warriors last season, the most appearances he has made for the club. Of his 18 starts, 12 came on the wing, four were at full-back and two were at outside centre.
“I think that was a big goal of mine, especially coming back from a knee injury, having been out for a year,” he said. “I just wanted to play as much rugby as possible. It was something I kind of approached the season with, where I wasn't too fussed about where I was playing, as long as I was playing. I got maybe a bit fortunate, or unfortunate, when some of the boys picked up a few knocks, and I was able to just fill in for some boys.
“But it helped me a lot, I think. Just getting into good form and a good run, it allows you to gain confidence, and it becomes slicker the more games you play because you're just getting more time in the saddle. Like you say, playing in multiple positions as well, it's good fun for me. It changes week on week when I'm on the wing, and there are different focuses to playing at 13, or even at full-back and stuff like that. Again, I don't mind where I play as long as I play.”