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Scott Cummings described Gregor Townsend as \u201ca massive influence\u201d on his career as he savours his second World Cup under the Scotland head coach.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old lock has enjoyed the most significant moments of his rugby journey under the man currently in charge of the national team.<\/p>\n
Townsend was the Glasgow head coach when Cummings broke through and made his debut at club level as a teenager in 2015.<\/p>\n
Two years later \u2013 and just months after landing the Scotland job \u2013 he gave the Warriors second-rower his first full international call-up for the Autumn Tests in 2017.<\/p>\n
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Townsend then handed Cummings his first cap in the summer of 2019 and took him to his first World Cup that year in Japan, where he made four appearances, aged 22.<\/p>\n
The dependable Warriors forward has remained involved throughout the head coach\u2019s reign and \u2013 although not always a starter \u2013 has accumulated 31 caps, two of which came in the opening matches of this World Cup against South Africa and Tonga.<\/p>\n
\u201cGregor\u2019s been massive for me,\u201d he said. \u201cWorld Cups have always been a good time for me. Eight years ago was when I made my debut for Glasgow, as we had about 22 guys away at the World Cup (in England in 2015).<\/p>\n
\u201cGregor gave me my debut, and then I managed to get in the squad for the last World Cup, and then this one. He\u2019s been a massive influence on my career and has helped shape me into the player I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if Townsend has evolved as a coach since he first played under him, Cummings said: \u201cYes, I think he probably has. The game has changed as much as anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe play a different style to what we did back then. He has always been an attacking coach, something I like. I don\u2019t want it to be slow. Gregor has always had a fast-paced game plan and I\u2019ve really enjoyed playing under that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cummings feels being at the previous World Cup has helped him deal with the demands of this one.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing in Japan was an amazing experience but now, being a bit older, I\u2019ve understood what it means a bit more the second time round and the magnitude of it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve loved being here. We had a fantastic camp (in the build-up) and a lot of fun, training hard and played in some tough games. I\u2019ve really enjoyed it so far.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cummings explained how the camaraderie within the squad has helped the players deal with the intensity of living together in their hotel in the hills just outside Nice for the best part of a month.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s tough,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re coming in every day, doing the same sort of things, building towards the same stuff, living in a hotel.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been in our hotel for about three weeks now. It\u2019s just about not letting people go into their shells, going out for a meal sometimes on a day off.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of PlayStation being played, getting tournaments going, things like that, keeping morale up as much as we can.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of players\u2019 partners and families have been out, so they have been around the hotel, and people seeing their kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe squad is in a great place. It\u2019s been a real family ethos, we are all great mates who are all getting on and enjoying spending time with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scotland have spent their entire World Cup so far in the south of France, with their time in Nice interrupted only by a trip along the coast to Marseille for their first match against South Africa.<\/p>\n
They will fly to the other end of the country for this Saturday\u2019s must-win encounter with Pool B minnows Romania in Lille.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be a bit colder up there so it will be nice to get away from the sun for a bit and get out of the hotel, have a couple of days somewhere else, see a different part of the country,\u201d said Cummings.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrance is an amazing country and I really enjoyed Marseille and staying out in Aix en Provence.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lovely part of the country but it will be good to see somewhere else and not always be in Nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cummings has seen a familiar face added to the squad over the past few days, with his uncapped Glasgow club-mate Johnny Matthews called up at the weekend after hooker Stuart McInally had to pull out with a neck injury.<\/p>\n
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\u201cJohnny had an amazing season last year, as anybody who follows the URC will know,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s been playing unbelievably well for Glasgow and it\u2019s very well deserved.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all absolutely gutted for Stuart not to get that 50th cap he really deserved. But Johnny came out on tour with us last year to Chile, so he\u2019s been in and around the squad before, and he massively deserves the opportunity. I am excited to hopefully see him play.\u201d<\/p>\n