Jim Hamilton aiming for World Cup
Jim Hamilton says he hopes he can use Gloucester as a way to get into the Scotland team for the World Cup next summer.
The lock signed for Gloucester earlier in the summer from Edinburgh. With pre-season nearly over he says he is hoping to play well for the club all season long in the hope that Scotland coach Andy Robinson will give him a chance in rugby's biggest tournament.
He said: "There's a World Cup coming up and I wanted to challenge myself and be part of a big club again. I had these things in my mind and based my decision on that. The guys here are great, they're very motivated and train very, very hard."
Gloucester face a very difficult season in the Premiership because the stakes have been increased by the signings that other clubs have been made. He could easily play well but if Gloucester stutter then there is the risk he could be associated with this.
Hamilton has a lot of skill and charisma that will get him noticed over the course of the year. Gloucester will be hoping that he stays focused purely on club rugby after this statement about next summer.
Skill and charisma
It becomes quickly evident from looking at Hamilton that he is a big and strong guy. This is why he is used in the lock position to break up the opposition and provide valuable support to the team as they push forward.
He has a great deal of charisma on a rugby pitch and can often be yelling at any player who moves even slightly out of position. This means he carries a presence and this is something that will get him noticed more often.
He's a great ball-handler in the middle of the pitch and never tries to do anything fancy. If you watch him during a game you will quickly realise that he always goes for the obvious pass and this means that he rarely gives the ball away.
Club before country
Gloucester officials will be very quick to point out that the only way for Hamilton to win a Scotland place is through playing well at the club. They will not want him to think as though he can ride on the back of the club to aid another ambition.
Gloucester's fans will be predominantly English and they will not really care about Hamilton's chances of making the Scotland side. It's important he does not alienate them through a slip of the tongue during the season.
He added: "It's not just with the lads but with the management and the fantastic stadium. People come up to you when you are out and about. It's a proud and passionate rugby place and you've got to do your job on the pitch and that will bounce off everyone else."
Betting advice
Gloucester have set an aim of the top four for the end of the season. If everyone plays well and shows international style form then the club will achieve this finish with very little difficulty. However, it's important that everyone forgets about the World Cup for now and focuses on having a good start to the season.
Don't back Hamilton to score during games this season. His job is not to burst forward and get over the try line, his job will be to hold the team together and make sure that they are a very hard unit to break down. He will be used to keep the scrum strong and to win the ball at a line-out so pick a flanker or winger if you're looking for a star to follow.
Tags: