Aussie Johnson set for Scotland role

Wed, Dec 28, 2011, 1:00 AM
AAP
by AAP

Australian Scott Johnson is to join Scotland's coaching team after next year's Six Nations.

The 49-year-old former Wales skills coach will leave his current post as director of coaching at Welsh regional side the Ospreys, currently second in the Celtic League, at the end of the season.

Former Wallaby assistant coach Johnson will join the Scotland set-up led by Andy Robinson in time for the tour of Australia, Fiji and Samoa in June.

Scotland coach Robinson, announcing Johnson's appointment as senior assistant coach, said on Tuesday: "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," the former England flanker and coach added.

Johnson said: "I'm excited by this challenge. Scotland is a country with a great history in rugby and with Andy there's a real focus point to get it back to where it belongs on the world stage by creating something new and brighter."

The Ospreys were European Cup quarter-finalists and Celtic League champions during Johnson's first full season in charge.

Scotland lost their record of always qualifying for the knockout stages of the World Cup when a pool defeat by old rivals England at this year's edition in New Zealand meant they failed to to make it into the quarter-finals.

They begin their Six Nations campaign at home to champions England on February 4.

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