If you want to be the next big thing in Scottish rugby, being 6ft 3in and just a shade under 17 stone obviously helps, especially if you have pace enough to have scored tries in three of your first four internationals. "You can't miss him, he's a big lad," says Rob Dewey's minder, waiting for training to end at Murrayfield this week. "Yes, a really big lad."
The trouble for Scotland is that the "big lad" is on his way. At the end of the season the 23-year-old Edinburgh centre will pack his bags for Belfast and a two-year contract with Ulster, news which has not pleased Scotland's head coach, Frank Hadden.
"I told him I wished he was staying," said Hadden this week after announcing the team to play Ireland tomorrow. "Rob is unfulfilled potential. I don't think he's played 20 games of professional rugby and he's had four injuries and four operations in the last two years."
However, Dewey is only the tip of the iceberg putting a hole in Hadden's plans. Stade Français have confirmed that Simon Taylor, the Lions, Scotland and Edinburgh back-row, has agreed a three-contract with them and Northampton last week announced that the prop Euan Murray was joining them from Glasgow. The scrum-half Chris Cusiter is also believed to be eyeing a move to Paris, wing Rory Lamont is off to Sale along with the Glasgow hooker Scott Lawson, Simon Danielli will join Dewey in Belfast and the emerging back-row Alasdair Strokosch has signed for Gloucester along with his Edinburgh team-mate Alasdair Dickinson.
The one bit of good news for Hadden is that his 24-year-old No8, Dave Callam, signed an extended contract with Edinburgh on Wednesday after he too had been linked with Sale. However, as a coach who believes in keeping his best players at home, as Ireland have done, Hadden admits that the comings and goings have been a distraction. "I spent an inordinate amount of time last week involved in that kind of stuff , as I did on Sunday and Monday, when I would rather be involved in focusing on preparing the national team," he said. "So if anyone lost their focus then perhaps it was me.
"He denied that the team, who conceded three tries and 21 points in the first six minutes of the defeat by Italy at Murrayfield, had been affected, but conceded: "I would hate to think that was a factor, but I know that it was a huge concern to me".
Dewey, who tomorrow has Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy on his hands - "moments of genius from either of those two can win games" - is reluctant to talk about the reasons behind his move, but the prospect of playing before 13,000 at Ravenhill rather than not many more than 1,300 for Edinburgh is enticing.
He says feelers were put out by English clubs - "there was a bit of chat about, but really there were just two teams in it. It was between Ulster and Edinburgh".
He knew of Hadden's feelings "but wasn't prepared to do that. It's my decision . I think the coach can have whatever bearing he wants on it but if a player makes his own decision then they have to back them if they want them involved. But to be fair to Frank, I think he is more worried about players going to England.
"For myself I've had another season marred by injury" - a knee cartilage, after serious operations on his shoulder last season - "and I'm just looking to enjoy my rugby. It's just another challenge.
"I know I have a long way to go to be the kind of player I want to be, but that's coming next season and is nothing to do with the Six Nations, and I've the season to see out with Edinburgh as well."
For now Dewey believes his team are over the nightmare of gifting Italy their first away win in the championship. "We're focused on the Ireland game and just have to push on. We wanted to put a bit of shock into them [Italy] but it was the other way around. I don't think we'll do that again. This weekend is obviously a very big ask, but the boys are ready for it."
