Sam aiming to end dream 12 months on a high note

It was early May 2018 when Gregor Townsend, the Scotland head coach, first contacted Exeter Chiefs forward Sam Skinner to see if he would like to wear the thistle one day.

At the time Skinner was preparing for the end of the domestic season and then the play-offs in the Gallagher Premiership, but any time that he had a spare moment he was mulling over what Townsend had said to him.

With a proud father hailing from north of the border, Skinner had always known about his Scottish roots and, after playing for the Chiefs in the Gallagher Premiership final loss to Saracens off the bench and much thought over the summer, he joined up with Townsend’s men in time for the Autumn Tests later that year.

Starts came against Fiji and South Africa in November as well as an appearance against Argentina off the bench.

He had made an instant impact, the second-row/back-row offering a bulky ball carrying option that perhaps the Scots didn’t have until his arrival on the scene.

A fourth cap came in the Six Nations earlier this year and Skinner himself takes up the story, telling TRU: “Against Italy I tore ligaments in my right ankle and was then out until the England game later in the tournament.

“It means that ahead of the Premiership final, my last visit to Twickenham was when I played against England for Scotland.

“It was a funny one wasn’t it!

“It was a great spectacle, the game was as quick as anything I have ever been involved in, when I came off I was knackered!

“England had all of the momentum early on, but then it swung towards us and we just could not stop scoring at one point.

“The way that Stuart McInally finished the try in the first half [to make it 31-31] was massive for us and gave us a real boost.

“We followed him from there and we started to click before it ended 38-38.

“When I think back on the last 12 months it has been a pretty crazy, but brilliant time for me.

“It was last May that Gregor first got in touch with me regarding Scotland and it came as a massive surprise.

“I am so glad he did though and cannot wait to meet up with the guys again later in June to start the World Cup preparations.”

In the England game in May, Skinner tweaked his right foot and then, a few days later, broke that foot.

“I was out for five and a half weeks as a result,” he said.

“It was frustrating, but it is what it is and I have played the last two matches off the bench for the Chiefs, against Northampton in the league and then against them in last week’s semi-final.”

In the Premiership semi last weekend, Exeter led against the Saints through tries from Harry Williams and Joe Simmonds, but were pegged back by a penalty try and Ahsee Tuala's score.

They upped the ante after the break though, two tries in three minutes soon after the restart from Dave Dennis and Tom O'Flaherty putting Exeter in control at Sandy Park.

Sam Simmonds and Sam Hill went over late on to seal the 42-12 triumph and set up another Premiership final with Saracens at Twickenham.

“I think we just maintained our level of intensity in the second half and never let our foot off the gas last week,” Skinner said of the last four triumph.

“In the second half we knew that we could kick on once fatigue set in with the opposition and so it proved.

“This weekend we are certainly going to have to be at the top of our game for 80 minutes and we know against Saracens it will be a battle of attrition.

“This week is a totally different challenge.

“We know what Sarries are like, they are a side who battles all the way, but we pride ourselves on that too and it is set up to be some contest.

“It will be about who can come through the attritional first half and keep going and going.

“I have had a few highs this year with club and country as well as a couple of injuries, but now I want to sign off for 2018/19 on a real big note.

“The club is a great place to be, training is a good laugh every day and with the culture here we feel a real connection with the fans and know they will be at Twickenham in good numbers and in good voice.

“It is now up to us to give them something to shout about.”

Skinner starts on the bench for the Chiefs this weekend.

Exeter Chiefs v Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership final takes place on Saturday at Twickenham at 3pm