Among international coaches, Scott Johnson probably is unique in knowing that his career prospects will not be damaged by a string of bad results.

With his SRU employers seemingly prepared to wait another year before Vern Cotter takes charge of the national team, Johnson can carry on as interim head coach in virtually any way he likes, already assured that his time as caretaker will end with promotion to the role of director of rugby.

A cynic – or at least anyone familiar with the machinations of the governing body – might suggest that being moved upstairs at Murrayfield is a more cruel punishment than being kicked out the door. However, leaving that aside, the fact remains that Johnson effectively is untouchable for the moment, free to do pretty much anything he wants with the national team.

In which light, Johnson's apparently bold decision to pick six uncapped players – three in the starting line-up and three on the bench for Saturday's Castle Lager Test Series match against Samoa in Durban – could just as easily be construed as a form of recklessness. Certainly, there is a worryingly inexperienced look to the back line, where Edinburgh full-back Greig Tonks and Glasgow centre Alex Dunbar will be doing national service for the first time, while Bath fly-half Tom Heathcote will be making his first start.

Glasgow hooker Pat MacArthur is the other debutant in the starting XV, while the new faces among the replacements are Edinburgh hooker Steve Lawrie, Glasgow centre/fly-half Peter Horne and Saracens winger Duncan Taylor.

In fairness, Johnson always billed Scotland's excursion to South Africa as a development exercise, and the Australian stuck to his guns on that point when he spoke about his selection. "If you want to discover new lands, you've got to be prepared to leave the shore, and we're leaving the shore," he said flatly.

"We have 25 Test matches before the next World Cup [in 2015] and I need to broaden the base. I make no excuses for doing it.

"I've done a lot of these end-of-year tours in my time, and you've got to use them to start searching. Test footy is a funny thing and the brain works in funny ways. It's about how they can handle Test footy, going from heaven into hell and hell turning into heaven. I can't buy or coach what these opportunities give and I intend to give some kids a run to find out."

Johnson was not for changing his tune on the matter of Cotter, either. On Monday, the board of Clermont Auvergne, Cotter's current employers, confirmed that they expect him to see out his contract to the end of next June, and while the SRU will almost certainly act again to secure the 51-year-old New Zealander's earlier release, Johnson reaffirmed the line he took last week by saying that he is untroubled by the delay.

"I'm committed here to do the [caretaker's] job," said Johnson. "Look, we've found our man, it means waiting, and we're happy to wait. I'm doing both jobs as we go but I like to be busy, and so I'm going to be a bit busier than I would be normally."

Johnson and his players might be enjoying the luxury surroundings of their base at Umhlanga, an upmarket resort a few miles north of steamy Durban itself, but the challenges over the next few weeks will be intense. The Castle Series is a quadrangular tournament which will feature the hosts and Italy as well as Scotland and Samoa.

The format is a mini-league basis, with matches also taking place in Nelspruit and Pretoria. Scotland's match with Samoa will be followed by an encounter between the Springboks and Italy, while the following weekend's action will provide games between Scotland and South Africa and Italy and Samoa. The league table from the first two rounds will determine the final day's games, in Pretoria on June 22, when first will play second and third will meet fourth.

Johnson has made his name as a player-centred coach, and he is as interested in the character-building element of the current trip as anything else.

"I think it's a great tournament," he said. "It's something I think that rugby needs. With professionalism coming into the game, I think we've lost a bit of the old values, like sitting with the opposition and chatting. I'm hoping to take the opportunity to let our guys sit with the opposition and opponents on the flights and enjoy each other's company.