Normally captaincy adds extra pressure to sportsmen, but Wallabies back-rower Scott Higginbotham says leadership of the Melbourne Rebels has done the opposite.
Higginbotham has hit career-best Super Rugby form in the past month as Rebels skipper – paving the way for him to be a likely starter in Australia’s blockbuster series against the British and Irish Lions.
The 26-year-old was never seen as a likely leader when he left the Queensland Reds last season but coach Damien Hill’s decision, following injury to Gareth Delve, has sparked his surge following a slow start with the Rebels.
“I don’t know whether it’s helped me,” Higginbotham said.
“It’s taken a bit of pressure off I think, which might not always be the case, but for me it has.
“It’s allowed me to sort of play my own game and not worry about the other stuff that goes on on the field.”
Higginbotham explained the added back-row depth at the Reds, where he successfully competed with Jake Schatz and Radike Samo for a starting role, was a pressure he was happy to have farewelled.
“Obviously it’s taken a bit of pressure off me to enjoy myself,” he said.
“Hilly’s obviously given me the go-forward to play the game that I want to play.”
While he’s been revelling at No.8 for Melbourne, Higginbotham still considers himself better suited to blind-side flanker where he’s been measured up as a Wallabies X-factor.
Waratahs powerhouse Wycliff Palu is seen as the front-runner at No.8 while Dave Dennis and Ben Mowen are also in the mix for both positions.
Meantime, Queensland have suffered a blow ahead of this weekend’s clash with the Stormers in Cape Town with Wallabies winger Digby Ioane ruled out due to injury.
Ioane injured his problematic left knee in the Reds’ 27-13 loss to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Sunday morning (AEST) and arrived back in Brisbane on late Monday to have scans.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said the soft tissue injury wasn’t considered serious, but decided to have it further assessed once it was clear he could not play the Stormers.
Ioane’s loss may open the door for centre Ben Tapuai, overlooked for the Wallabies squad, to return to the starting team and for a Chris Feauai-Sautia move to the wing.
Fit-again fullback Jono Lance is over his shoulder injury to also be back in the selection frame.