Jamie Ritchie made his Scotland debut on a tour of the Americas six years ago, and in Washington on Friday night, the Edinburgh man will win his 50th Test cap.
The 27-year-old has been through his fair share of ups and downs over the past 12 months having been Scotland skipper this time last year only to lose that honour for the Six Nations.
By the end of the championship, Ritchie wasn’t even in Gregor Townsend’s matchday 23.
But he has rediscovered his best form – with Townsend saying he feels like his former skipper is playing the best rugby of his decade-long career.
And Ritchie admitted Friday's match will be a “really special moment” in his career.
He said: I think the 50th itself is more a celebration of the 49 that went before it. Playing for Scotland is all I can remember wanting to do as a kid.
“As soon as I started playing rugby at Madras school it was all I ever wanted to do, and to be able to have done it 49 times already and hopefully to do it at the weekend is really special.
“it’s a proud moment for me and hopefully for my family.”
Earning a 50th cap will no doubt be one of Ritchie’s career highlights, but picking out one from the 49 caps he’s earned to date was easy for the former skipper.
He said: “The thing that sticks out the most for me is that New Zealand game where we had Doddie out before it and how we got to show our appreciation for him.
“That for me, and being able to be captain on that day, is one of the proudest moments of my life and certainly the proudest moment of my career.”
The tumult that Ritchie had to contend with, particularly during the Six Nations when he was in and out of Townsend’s team, has given him a new appreciation for every cap he earns.
He added: “Probably during the Six Nations when you maybe didn’t play as much as you would have wanted, you start to cherish it a bit more.
“It just makes you want to have it more again.
“Every moment you get to spend in a Scotland jersey is so special. Because rugby careers in general are so short-lived, and they could literally end any time you step on to the field, it’s special to have been able to have done it 50 times, and it’s special to have been able to run out for Edinburgh for as many times as I have.
“It will be nice at the weekend to have the opportunity to run out.”
Friday’s match is also Ritchie’s first opportunity on tour to show Townsend he deserves to be in the team when the Springboks and Wallabies come calling in November.
The flanker added: "I feel like I’ve been playing some of my best rugby towards the back end of the season for Edinburgh, and hopefully I can continue that form into this summer series.
“We’ll see what happens at the start of next season back at Edinburgh, but I feel like I’m in some good form and I’ll be looking to continue that.”
Ritchie admitted there was a spell he thought he wouldn’t be on the tour and that he might benefit from a summer off. But he wanted to impart his experience.
Six years ago, he was one of a crop of young players – Matt Fagerson, George Horne and Adam Hastings were also in that group – who won their first caps.
It had all gone swimmingly against Canada before the USA caused a major upset, beating Townsend’s team in Houston.
The tourists are favourites to win in Washington, and Ritchie is keen to avoid a slip-up this time round. He knows first-hand the tour could be a springboard for international careers of the future.
"Although it’s a young group that’s out here and we’re playing against some teams that are perceived as weaker, or that we’re expected to beat, these are opportunities for these guys to put their hand up in these environments,” he said.
Ritchie added: “There are a few guys who have come in and really grasped their opportunity who I suspect we may see going forward into the autumn and the Six Nations, which is really exciting for them.
“I think that’s kind of what myself, George, Adam and Matt all did off the back of that tour. I think we all certainly played a part in the following autumn and the Six Nations, so I think it’s nice for them to see that and to hear that from us.
“I’m really excited about some of the guys that we’ve got in the group here.”
Looking to the future, Ritchie admitted earning a place on the British and Irish Lions tour next summer is in the back of his mind.
Ritchie said: “All you can do is try to play as well as you can, try to stay fit and healthy and work as hard as you can away from the field to put yourself in the best possible position to give yourself that opportunity.
“Obviously I would love to do that but I won’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t happen – unless I feel I haven’t done enough myself.”
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