After making his Scotland debut in the summer, Matt Currie is now focusing on cementing his place in the Edinburgh team this season.
The Dumfries-born centre enjoyed a stellar campaign that saw him named Breakthrough Player of the Season.
He won his first Scotland cap against Canada, adding to that with cameos from the bench against USA and Chile, scoring his first try in the win in Santiago.
Despite Currie’s excellent year, and having Scotland pair Mark Bennett and James Lang among their squad, Edinburgh have bolstered their midfield depth over the summer by signing Matt Scott and Mosese Tuipulotu, the younger brother of Scotland cap Sione.
Currie, though, is welcoming the increase in competition.
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He said: “It provides more depth. Matt and Mosese have been class coming in.
“They've shown what they're about in training and Matty brings a lot of experience.
“Mo's got a lot of energy. He's a good ball carrier. He's definitely raising the standards in training.”
Currie, 23, spent last season moving around the midfield, while he was also deployed on the wing at times amid an injury crisis.
He knows that versatility could be useful again this season.
“Coming to the club, 13 was always the position I played through school and age-grade stuff. I've definitely played a bit more of 13.
“Primarily, I was a 13 coming to Edinburgh, but I hope now that I've added another string to my bow and I've got the ability to play in both.”
If Currie can nail down a place in the Edinburgh team, he should be in contention for more Scotland honours come the autumn.
He reflected on winning his first cap over the summer.
“I loved it – it was really cool,” the centre said.
“I got my first cap in Canada and had my parents out there. They came out to watch that game, so it was awesome to see them out there and celebrate my first cap with them.
“The other three weeks with America, Chile and Uruguay were just such cool places. I suppose places that you maybe wouldn't otherwise go without rugby.
“It's cool getting to experience those places and the different cultures and doing it with a group of boys where you maybe don't know all of them, but towards the end of the tour, you end up so close. It's a good group to be around.”
It has, he acknowledged, given him a hunger to get back into that environment.
Currie continued: “A first cap is always an unbelievable feeling, but I think the feeling of wearing the Scotland jersey makes you want to do it again.
“Hopefully, that can come in the future. I'll just try to keep my head down as much as I can at Edinburgh and get my game time.
“Hopefully, in the future, maybe I'll get another chance.”
It was a memorable summer for the Currie family, with Matt’s younger brother Tom, part of the Scotland side that won the World Rugby U20 Trophy.
"My parents loved it,” Matt said, adding: "They love coming to Edinburgh games and Scotland games and everything. It was definitely a good summer for them as well.”
Away from rugby, Matt – whose family run a dairy farm in Dumfries - is completing a business management degree at the University of Edinburgh.
Currie said it is helpful having a distraction from rugby.
“There are definitely times when it does get quite full on and stressful when you're playing in big games and it's week after week without a break.
“It can get quite tough around assessment time, but there are people who help at the uni.
“All things going well, I’ll graduate next summer. I'm not too sure what I'll do after that.”
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