Back in February Sean Maitland’s career appeared to be falling apart but it’s turned full circle for the wing who will return to the Scotland line-up for Saturday’s Autumn Test against Australia at BT Murrayfield.
“That’s rugby”, shrugged the New Zealand-born flier who after the Six Nations game in Wales was injured, then not even considered when he recovered and playing for a London Irish side plummeting towards relegation in the Aviva Premiership.
Now he’s with European and English champions Saracens, playing regularly and scoring four tries in six games, and right back in Scotland favour.
“It’s how rugby works,” he said. “There are good times and there are those times when you have bad luck.
“Last year was a difficult year all round, finishing the World Cup and not really having any time to reflect before going straight into the season.
“Then there was the injury before the Welsh game and I didn’t get back in the Scotland squad, but it meant I refocused and got myself in really good shape. I got the contract with Saracens, I had a good pre-season and that’s the main difference I feel.”
Maitland’s class and ability got him his deal with the double champions on its own, but he even had a slice of unexpected fortune there when the volatile Chris Ashton was banned for a long period for biting and he had a regular slot in the side.
“They rotate anyway, although that ended when Ashey was banned,” he continued. “I played for Glasgow and there was strong competition for a place there, it’s no different.
“But I’m enjoying my rugby again, living in St Albans and getting into the rugby culture at Saracens. It doesn’t harm you anyway when three of your team-mates (Maro Itoje, Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola) are short-listed for world player of the year, but there’s so much quality throughout the team.
“There are also a few Scots in the team like big Jim Hamilton, he’s still going and he’s still quality.
Duncan (Taylor) is also there and he’s coming back from injury and hopefully he’ll be back before the end of this Autumn campaign.”
As for getting back with Scotland, he’s delighted to have the chance to play at BT Murrayfield again, and against the Wallabies.
“The boys are always going to be thinking about that quarter-final game against Australia and what happened in the past,” he said.
“Last season I had to drive past Twickenham every day on my way to training, so that was a sore reminder. I’ve never actually watched the game back.
“But everything has gone so fast from last year. That game has gone but the good thing about test rugby is it’s the chance to get another victory and it’s also good we are at home.
“Murrayfield is nearly a sell-out so the atmosphere is going to be amazing and i’m sure that will help us. I’m sure the boys won’t be thinking about what’s happened in the past.”
And the Scots can take some inspiration from the way Ireland played against New Zealand at the weekend, Maitland believes.
“It was amazing, it shows that anyone can beat anyone on the day,” he said.Those teams who have the Rugby Championship behind them will have their systems and the way they want to play set out, but that was Ireland’s first game and just shows what happens when you take it to them.”
What about a trip back to New Zealand to take on the All Blacks himself on his second Lions tour next summer?
“That’s another thing that’s gone so fast, I can’t believe it’s four years,” he said. “But I’m not thinking about that at all, just about Scotland.
“I’m sure a number of our boys will stick their hands up for contention to go, but none of us are thinking about that at the moment.”
