Redpath opens up on injury and agony after starring for Scotland

Cameron Redpath is still only 22, but he has already experienced the exhilarating highs and crushing lows that rugby – as well as life – can bring.

It has given the Bath and Scotland centre valuable perspective ahead of his second Six Nations.

In February last year, Redpath marked his Test debut with a starring role against the team he had played for at age grade level as Scotland downed England and won at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years.

Lifting the Calcutta Cup was not a bad way for the former Sale man to mark his international bow, but soon after, Redpath’s life descended into darkness as injury and grief struck.

He missed the rest of the Six Nations with a bulging disk in his neck. In May, he ruptured his anterior cruciate knee ligament. As if that wasn’t bad enough, worse was to follow. 'I spent 304 days of 2021 injured,’ Redpath told Sportsmail.

‘I injured my knee and had my operation two weeks later. A week after that one of my good mates died and then I caught Covid. After recovering from that, I also needed a shoulder operation.

'At that time, nothing was going right. It was dark, dark, dark. My friend’s name was Henry Foster. I went to school with him at Sedbergh and we were good mates. 

‘He was over at university in America and he died of a sudden cardiac arrest. Henry was a good lad and I stay in contact with his family – they are great people.

‘It’s a great shame he’s not with us anymore, but what happened to him has changed a lot for me 100 per cent. It has given me the perspective injuries and rugby are not the be all and end all. 

‘Unfortunately, Henry will never come back and that has made me grateful for what I’ve got.’

Redpath certainly has plenty going his way. Now back fit, the five serious