Scott Johnson’s “mind games” with Wales seem to mostly consist of complimenting them into a false sense of security.
Dire warnings have emanated from the valleys in the last week concerning the devious ways of the former Welsh and now Scotland interim coach and how he will attempt to distract and divert attention in seeking revenge on his former employers.
However, other than the slightly unexpected move of promoting Duncan Weir to start at 10 in place of Ruaridh Jackson in his selection for Saturday’s game, Johnson was straight-talking as usual on Tuesday, dismissing that his knowledge of the Welsh for his time with the national team and the Ospreys was only “minimal”, and praising the Principality to the skies without any hint of bitterness.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” he said. “As a country they were absolutely fantastic to me. I loved every minute that I had there, the good, the bad and the ugly.
“I had them all, but I had great times and made great friends, and I’m indebted to it as a society. It’s a wonderful country and wonderful people.
“They’re the form side for the last five years in the north and they’ve got their best team back now, give or take one of two.
“It’s a quality side, resilient and tough with potency in certain positions. This will be a quality test match and a tough old encounter.”
However, he liked to think that Scotland had shown enough to stand with the Welsh and that personally he was now “bleeding blue”, although still declining to say whether he wanted to keep doing that after his interim spell was up.
“I feel privileged to have been involved (with Wales) but I’m coaching someone else now,” he continued. “I’m coaching a national team, the nation’s been very welcoming to me and my wife, and I’m coaching good lads, good people.
“But I pull myself away from that, and as I’ve said, I won’t speak about (a permanent appointment) until all this is done.
“I came here to do a job and I’ll see it through and what happens after that, the decision will be part mine, part someone else.
“I’m enjoying coaching, and I just happen to be coaching a national team and a great group of kids. It’s pretty special.”
Johnson’s sole alterations from the team that manned the barricades against Ireland are Weir, the return of Euan Murray from his religious observance and Glagsow’s in-form No 8 Ryan Wilson as a straight swap on the bench for the injured David Denton.
“We said after the result against Italy it shouldn’t be a victory and then not looking at the team and what we need to do better,” he added.
“We looked at the skill sets of the two boys (at 10) and thought, this might be an appropriate time to make the change for the opponent we’re playing and the game we’re playing.
“There’s been pressure on Greig (Laidlaw) and we’re trying to alleviate that. Wales might be surprised and if they are that’s a good thing, but we’re not really concerned about them.
“Duncan was slow off the blocks this season but he’s hit a vein of form now and he gives us something a little different. It’s a tough gig at 10, it requires you to think like a man of action but act like a man of thought.”
As for reverting to Murray instead of Geoff Cross, Johnson acknowledged that the Edinburgh tight-head had played “wonderfully well” against Ireland.
“Fair play to him, he did really well, but two weeks prior against Italy Euan was nothing short of sensational as well. He’s a quality performer and we forget that he’s a quality rugby player as well as a world class tight-head.
“Geoff gave a wonderful performance but we want consistency. There have been no promises to anyone. Euan provides the edge for us and he was one of the surprises to me, I’d coached against him but never realised how good he was, not just in set piece but about the park.
“Geoff did exactly what we asked of him, but he needs consistency as well. Rightly or wrongly, we’ve decided Euan’s our world-class tight-head.”
For Wilson, inclusion was reward for his excellent form captaining Glasgow during the Six Nations break when the Warriors won all their games with maximum points, despite Al Strokosch being available again.
“Al’s played just 17 minutes since his injury while Ryan’s played every week and well,” said Johnson.
“I couldn’t justify (picking Strokosch) on those grounds and it’s a good message to send to young and aspirant Scottish players.”