GORDON REID is confident he can make his mark on the Rugby World Cup after being left out of Scotland’s first two matches when he plays against South Africa today.

The Glasgow Warriors prop faces a daunting challenge as he comes up against one of the best scrummaging teams in the world, but believes that playing his natural game can pay off for him in the Pool B game at St James’ Park in Newcastle.

“This’ll be my first time against South Africa,” he said. “They definitely pride themselves in the scrummage, they’re big physical boys, they rate themselves in scrum and lineout drives.

“They’re not tougher than the rest - they’re bigger than other teams, big physical human beings but no different to the other teams. We just need to stand up and fight hard.”

The man Reid will be up against is the vastly experienced Jannie du Plessis, a qualified doctor whose brother, Bismarck, is playing at hooker. “I just need to be solid,” Reid said. “You can look at all the analysis on the individual you’re up against, but when it comes to the game, things change.

“I just need to stick to that. If there’s a time to attack him, I go for it. If there’s a time to just sit and hold and be stationary, then I’ll do that.”

Although some key players have been left out of the Scotland team this week, every member of the 31-man squad has played a part in preparation, according to Reid. “The rest of the team are your family. People hack you off - Dunky Weir did the other day and you’re annoyed and you could punch him, but you’d also punch and kick for him.

“You’d stand up for your team-mates and you’ve got each other’s backs. As soon as you step on that park you’re there for your fellow players.

“The Band of Brothers it is. Ryan Grant’s not in the squad this week, but he’s there all the time, he’s encouraging me, there for me and asking whatever I need. I don’t know other teams but we have that - we’re building a culture the way Glasgow have.”

Reid, his Glasgow team-mate Richie Vernon, and Edinburgh scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne have had to wait patiently to get involved after being left out of the squad.

The prop admitted that at times he had a nagging feeling he would go through the competition without being involved, but said there was never any way he would give

“I’m not going to lie - it was always in my head,” he said. “But you can’t get uptight, you have to be there for the team. There’s hundreds and thousands of people who would kill to be in this position.

“Not to have been involved last week, I was down and I was annoyed, but you just have to get through and pray you can get your chance.

"Me and Sam spoke a few times - Sam was always there to say ‘Just calm down, we’ll get there, we’re working together’.

“We went for a coffee, chilled out, did something different. We’ve just had to go to the pictures, or bowling or something - just have a bit of fun coming away from the rugby.

“This is what we do for a living. You can’t go out on the town and go mad."