Australian Scott Johnson, Scotland’s director of rugby, sees his young charges as the spoiler in the Six Nations that kicks off at the weekend.
In the last 18 months, 18 new faces have been introduced to Test level rugby, and Johnson expects that search for youth will surface this time round.
And that’s Johnson’s warm-up before he takes over as Rugby Australia’s director of rugby in mid-March, rejoining the Wallabies for the first time since 2007 when he was assistant coach to John Connolly.
His future will be much the same as his current job, trying to lift a nation out of the pack.
The Scots have the ideal opening round against Italy, who find it hard to beat time, but it’s a shame a Murrayfield home game is wasted on the Azzurri – Scotland could crush them in the middle of the Sahara.
But the second round will determine the Scots tournament fate with a clash at Murrayfield with defending Grand Slammers Ireland, especially if England upset the men in green in the opening round in Dublin.
Johnson believes England, still simmering from finishing second last in 2018, will do just that as Ireland, under intense pressure, make mistakes.
But they are proven great front-runners, as the two defeats of the All Blacks attest.
And since Gregor Townsend took over as head coach, Scotland has been very hard to beat at home, where they grow an extra leg.
Scotland are on the up. (Photo by Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)
If Scotland move to Paris in the third round with a 2-0 record to do battle with the French, they have control of the tournament, with Wales at Murrayfield, and England at Twickenham to go.
Wales would be an even money bet, with the home advantage the clincher.
And last season the Scots burst England’s bubble at Murrayfield with a 25-13 victory, but a string of injuries since have cut deep into the squad.
Captain and flanker John Barclay, the other flanker Hamish Watson, locks Jonny Gray, and David Denton, and number 8 Byron McGuigan played that day, but are out for the season, as are hookers Frank Brown and George Turner, and giant 208cm lock Richie Gray.
Decimation, but as Johnson puts it – “Cometh the hour, cometh the man”.
The bookies have Ireland over the line at odds-on, with England 7/2, Wales 9/2, Scotland 16/1, France 20/1, with Italy at name your own odds, but officially 1000/1.
You would think Wallaby coach Michael Cheika, in the UK doing his homework for the Rugby World Cup, would catch up with Johnson, his new direct boss as director of rugby, especially for the Ireland clash.
But for the moment, Cheika’s itinerary only includes this weekend for the Ireland-England blockbuster.
It wouldn’t be a shrewd move to play games and ignore Johnson, who is just as strong a personality as the Wallaby coach.
Michael Cheika, Head coach of Australia looks on prior to the International Friendly match between Wales and Australia on November 10, 2018 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
They must work closely together if the Wallabies are to be a force at the World Cup, the days of Cheika calling all the shots are gone.
Then there’s a third selector yet to be named, and thank heavens it’s not George Gregan, who has been approached.
No-one in the media should be a selector, so Fox television commitments should cut him out for starters.
But for the latter part of his record 139 caps, Gregan spent most of the 80 minutes arguing with referees and failing to concentrate on getting his backline moving – a selfish attitude that did the Wallabies no favours.
Besides Chris Whitaker was the better halfback who kept getting splinters in his backside sitting on the pine.
That cost the Wallabies as well.
So there’s a lot happening in the world of rugby with Scott Johnson the pivot, and it will only get better.
Bring it on.
DonWan
Guest
You've pretty much describes Genia.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Personally, I just don’t agree. I don’t think Whittaker was that good, and I don’t think Gregan really declined until really 05-07. His referee management at the scrums singlehandedly kept us in matches, as he refused to put the ball in. Australia were one of the best teams in the world until 07. And the main issue was our forwards, and Larkham’s injuries, not Genia.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Agree AJ Phil Mooney for my money..
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Fionn: I accept your Brumby bent but what negatives did we get in the package? Standing at the back of the breakdown telling players where to go and pointing giving the opposition time to reset their D, which several, including Genia, have emulated. He took us into possibly the most disliked international team by the ref's due to constantly telling them how to run the game. Later in his career, which is the part I am talking about, he rarely ran from the base anymore. His days were over in 2003 and a normal coach would have moved him on. He was one of our great halfbacks but I think those last years impacted on my memories of him. Whittaker should have been the default half from 2001 and Gregan should have retired with Eales and McQueen.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
Nick Bishop… great thinking" outside the box" Fionn ! I support that move !
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Yeh you’re probably right , but let’s face it he’s did pretty well for 203 years
Dontcallmeshirley
Guest
Blind Freddy would be an improvement.
David P
Guest
If you think the 2003 England side didn’t score tries then I’d suggest you don’t know the first thing about them.
David P
Guest
Did the writer research this article at all? Byron McGuigan is a wing, not a back row, and David Denton is a No. 8, not a lock. And Scotland couldn’t “beat Italy in the middle of the Sahara desert”. Last year they won in Rome 29-27— hardly a hammering for Italy, who lost all their other matches by over 15 points.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I like the thought of Macqueen or Connolly or Lynagh, or Nick Bishop...
AJ
Guest
Yep, looks like smartarsey journalism with a little hook to get a click. What does she expect, Cheika to sit alongside him to watch Scotland play? While he's still on Scots payroll? Being Scots they'd probably want their money back!! It will be interesting to see how this works though. I get the feeling it was a gutsy move by Johnson. We decided this last year - Phil Mooney for the third selector. He has a good eye for talent and while currently working with schoolboys he does expert commentate for the ABC radio (would be akin to unpaid charity work I'm guessing) for super games in Brisbane and knows his stuff. I think he's been around long enough and through the wringer enough to be his own man.
Phil
Guest
Yes,TWAS,I think people are trying to stir up something between the two of them with no grounds to do so.It's perfectly reasonable for Johnson to focus on his current employer until the end of his contract. Of course,this is another reason why, in most employment situations,if you are moving to a competitor you usually finish up immediately with your current job.
Jimbo81
Guest
Ireland don’t score tries. They can be beaten by teams that do. 2003 was a fluke for England and normally special needs teams that lack try scoring ability can’t win a World Cup
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I think people really exaggerate how poor Gregan was, and also exaggerate how good Whitaker was. To me, it wss a line call - Whitaker a bit quicker and instinctual by 2005-07, but Gregan the better leader and more up to the big moments. Our post-Gregan history has shown how much we’ve missed a leader of his quality.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I think in 2017 he was he best halfback in the world. In 2018, he was nowhere near. But unfortunately our only other good halfback is playing England, and I think we can attribute that largely to Cheika.
Jock the sock
Guest
Gregan was terrible for his last 5 years.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
"and the current version of Genia is definitely not in the same class as 2-3 years ago)." Spot on, rl......but not many others can see this. Genis has never really recovered from his foist injury...or at least never recovered the form and class of the pre injury days.........for me he was No1 in the world once.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
Good post, David.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
"Whitaker was never a better prospect." Beg to differ there, GM. A lasting memory of Gregan is the last ball won at the ruck in the England v WB's RWC 2007. Australia can win with a try. Gregan has the talented young B. Barnes and Mortlock waiting to use the ball, and he opts to short pass to a prop who I won't name...no great scrummager....out on the wing. Result...ball lost...final whistle. Great decision making George. No, I feel Whitaker was a far better prospect by then....but Eddie could not see that.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
I would not touch Gregan as a selector. He has, to my knowledge, only been<IMO, an average commentator since his playing days....no coaching involvement ?? A great player at his peak, he ended up a pretty poor performer who played maybe 20 tests too many.