We fired some questions at London Scottish Apprentice Calum Digby, one of the favourite members of the London Scottish team and he gave us an insight into his introduction to the Scots, how he has developed as a coach and his transition into a better player.
How and when did you to join London Scottish? I applied online for the academy back in 2015 Scottish offered me a trail period and that’s where it started. My mum is Scottish and she was very insistent I joined!
You joined as an academy player and since have been developing your coaching within the club. Have you always been keen to develop your coaching or were you asked to help out? It was not a long-term goal to pursue coaching, I only realised I enjoyed it when I started my work experience at Scottish. I got to do a few sessions and I soon found my passion for coaching.
What is the biggest reward of coaching the kids at Scottish and in the schools for you? Seeing that development of the player, seeing the difference in skill level from the first time coaching them
Any quality or funny remarks by kids that will stay with you? I coached at a school next to some railway tracks and there was one boy who would like to tell me about trains, where they were going and what station they stopped at
What is the best part of being a community coach while playing rugby at the club? Stash but there also the seeing kids running around and enjoying their rugby
You have played in all senior teams below the 1st team here at the club. Do you feel you developed here in your game and secondly what is the benefit in playing for teams across the club? Yes, my game has come on leaps and bounds from when I joined Scottish and with playing in all the different teams you meet new people and make lasting friendships
What position do you feel you are best suited to and where did you start when you joined the club? I started playing on the wing for Scottish and now I have developed more into a 10 which is a complete change
What is your favourite playing memory thus far at the club? I have 2 which stand out; wining the Bedford 10s in 2016 after beating Loughborough in the final and winning the Hogmanay game against Richmond U21 with a penalty in the last minute that hit the crossbar and went over.
Who is currently the most annoying player you play with and why? Luca Vittori as he always runs an extra 5 steps after being touched in touch games haha
Who would you invite for dinner and why and what will you cook for them? Johnny Wilkinson, no need to explain why. Cous cous and chicken as it is the only real meal I can cook
What is your plans over the next couple of years? Well I am going to St Marys Uni to study sports coaching and I will see were that takes me.
Best coaching moment? Watching the first team train with Bath. It was good to see all the new technology Bath were using in their sessions and how it improves performance.
What’s your go-to coaching game? The Numbers Game! It’s a fun game that all the kids love. Each kid has a number and if they hear their number called they run out in to the middle and try score a try
Which celebrity coach do you take inspiration from? Al Pacino in ‘Any Given Sunday’ – great team talk, always gets me pumped up.
Catch Calum in action this weekend on Saturday at the Richmond Athletic Ground as he features for the Highlanders against Esher 2nd XV.
