Andy Robinson has made his first major appointment as Scotland head coach by recruiting Scott Johnson, the Ospreys coaching director who boasts vast experience of the international game.
Following Scotland's disappointing World Cup campaign in New Zealand earlier this season – they failed to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time – Robinson admitted he had to bring additional expertise into the camp.
He has appointed Johnson to the post of senior assistant coach, a role he will take up at the end of this season, too late to be involved in the RBS 6 Nations championship campaign, but in time for the summer tour of Australia, Fiji and Samoa.
The 49-year-old Australian worked with the Wallabies, Wales and the US Eagles during the past decade before taking over at the Welsh province two years ago. Even before that, though, it seems that first impressions mattered, the pair first having met when Johnson was part of the coaching team that inflicted the first defeat on the British and Irish Lions during their 2001 tour of Australia, where Robinson was one of Graham Henry's assistant coaches.
"I am delighted Scott has agreed to join the Scotland coaching team. I have huge respect for him as a coach and a person, having coached against him on numerous occasions," said Robinson. "I first got to know him when the Lions played Australia A and we've always got on well. He has vast experience, having worked with players like Stephen Larkham and George Gregan, as well as alongside coaches of the calibre of Graham Henry and Steve Hansen."
While Robinson has been happy to work with the team he inherited – he has been particularly loyal to Gregor Townsend, Scotland's attack coach, despite the continued failure of the team to score tries at the same rate as their main rivals – he has admitted that the former Scotland back lacks experience. Since Johnson is a skills specialist, it would seem obvious that he will be asked to pay particular attention to that department and Robinson seemed to confirm as much but added: "He'll be working on all aspects of our game."
Robinson also made it clear that he is not concerned about what are considered the more controversial aspects of Johnson's career, including questions raised about the role he played in the ousting of Mike Ruddock, from his job after he guided Wales to a grand slam in 2005 and the brevity of his time in charge of the US Eagles. "I've spoken to Scott about those situations and I'm very comfortable with that," he said.
Johnson, whose Ospreys lead the RaboDirect PRO12, having won it last year, is relishing the prospect of returning to the Test scene. "Scotland is a country with a great history in rugby," he said. A skills specialist he is also expected to work with Scotland's professional teams. It is part of the new commitment by the Scottish Rugby Union's top brass to give Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors the support they need to challenge Europe's leading sides and Mark Dodson, the chief executive, made it clear that they are looking to maximise the new man's usefulness.
"We are finalising a wider role for Scott in helping us to better identify Scottish qualified talent around the world," said Dodson.
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