Scotland captain Kelly Brown is determined to prove his team can build on their RBS Six Nations showing.

Scott Johnson's side finished a creditable third in this year's Six Nations tournament and Brown is hopeful that will provide a solid base as they prepare for the opening match of their tour of South Africa against Samoa on Saturday.

"I'm absolutely desperate to show that finishing third in the Six Nations was very the start of something special," he said.

Brown is aware their third-placed finish has been played down in some quarters, and says that if the team are to prove it was neither a fluke nor a flash in the pan they have to produce big wins, starting with this weekend's clash with the ferocious Pacific Islanders.

Perhaps appropriately, many got a taste of facing down their fears, as among today's rest-day activities was a spot of shark-spotting on a boat trip out around Durban Bay.

However big and merciless the creatures they were watching, the players who took to the sea were well protected, which they will not be when they take to the pitch against the large and fearsome Samoan side.

"It was an awesome experience," said Brown.

"We had trained very hard too, so it was great to get a bit of down time and to see the country because it is an incredible place. Now it is all about the game, and the players are really up for it.

"We have looked at a lot of footage of Samoa and see they are incredibly physical, so we need to go out and impose ourselves on them - we have some big, strong guys as well.

"We need to get stuck in and make sure we stop them on the gain line so that when we have the ball we can play our game."

Brown missed last year's narrow win in the humid heat of Apia, but he has faced the Pacific Islanders before.

"I played against them in Aberdeen two years ago when we won with the last kick of the match. So we know it is going to be tough and it is going to be tight, but it is the sort of test we really want and we will see, as a side, how much we managed to grow through the Six Nations," he said.

"During the Six Nations, I felt we really improved as we went on. Now it is a case of making sure that we keep on improving."

There is extra pressure on Brown and the rest of the team's leaders for this game because interim head coach Johnson has decided to field a lot of inexperienced players, including an uncapped trio in the starting 15 and another three who could win their debut caps if they come off the bench.

Johnson sees it as part of the start of the build-up to the next Rugby World Cup, but Brown admits the players really cannot plan that far ahead.

"The long-term goal is more a focus for the coaches," he said.

"As a player, all you can do is focus on the next game and that is all we are doing. After Saturday we will focus on the Springboks, but right now we are 100 per cent focused on Samoa.

"This time last year I was injured and on the rehab trail, so a lot can change very quickly. As a player I have learned to focus very much week to week.

"There is maybe a bit more pressure but I am the same as all of the press and all of the public, I am really excited by these young guys.

"I have been watching them play all season and thought they have been playing well. I cannot wait to see what they can do on the international stage."