Walker aims to remind Scott Johnson of his talents

NIKKI Walker believes that Scott Johnson has the potential to lift Scottish fortunes and the big winger is hoping to remind his former coach tonight that he has the ability to play a part in the improvement.

Walker, who starts for Scotland A against the England Saxons at Newcastle, knows the new Scotland interim coach better than anyone in the squad, having played under him in recent years at the Ospreys.

He said: “I got on well with Johnno. He is a great coach and was great for me personally at the Ospreys, and I was glad when he got the job up here.

“When he first got the job he spoke to me about Scotland and what I felt about him coming up, and I just gave him positives because I think he’ll do a great job up here.

“His knowledge of rugby and the detail he goes into with his coaching is something I’ve never experienced with any other coaches. He’s a great character as well, who makes training enjoyable. He takes the p*** out of players and you can see the way he speaks to the media too he is a massive character who gives everybody a bounce in their step, and makes the environment a good place to be.

“I think that is important in a Test atmosphere. But, on the park, I think we’ll see Scotland play in a different way under Johnno. He picks things out in the opposition and sees things other people don’t – in our team as well as in the opposition, and so he will maybe pick different players.

“It’s good that he’s come here blind because everyone’s on a level par, whereas players have been picked before that haven’t even been seen. But Johnno picks from what he sees on the park and I think he could definitely make a difference.”

Walker’s last of 24 caps was a painful one, the Borderer picking up a serious knee ligament injury against Italy in the pre-World Cup warm-up in 2011, which not only ended his hopes of playing in New Zealand but finished his season before it had begun.

With his contract up at the Ospreys and the club looking to off-load big earners, he left for Worcester and has worked his way into this season slowly after a few reactions to his injury. He is now back fully fit and brings experience to an intriguing Scotland A back three with new faces Duncan Taylor on the right wing and Greig Tonks at full-back.

England have stuck with the bulk of the side that beat the Irish Wolfhounds 14-10 in Galway last weekend but bring in Gloucester wing Jonny May for Christian Wade, to face Walker.

The Scot’s Worcester teammate Matt Mullan replaces Nick Wood at loosehead prop and will come up against Glasgow’s Jon Welsh, a traditional loosehead bidding to give the Scotland coaches more options by gaining experience at tighthead.

Walker’s experience tells him that it will be tough to win back-to-back games, especially as England have been together for a fortnight but he does not lack motivation and he insists the presence of a new Scotland chief has created a fresh determination throughout the A squad.

The Scots also include capped men looking for a way back – Alex Grove, Ben Cairns, Alasdair Dickinson, Tom Ryder and Richie Vernon. They knows that following up last year’s 35-0 demolition of the Saxons with a first-ever win on English soil would make the strongest possible case for a step-up.

“We’re not here because we want to play for Scotland A,” said Walker. “We’re here because we want to play for Scotland.

“It’s a strong Scotland A team that we’ve got out and there are definitely some players in there that I can see playing in the Six Nations at some point and, hopefully, I’ll be one of them so I just want to get out there and put my hand up.

“I have confidence in myself and know I’m a good enough player to play in any environment, and I wanted to challenge myself in the English league as well. But it’s been a different kind of game there, tighter and less chance for wingers, so I’m also looking forward to getting back here and playing with a Scottish team in a more open game of rugby with nothing to lose and, hopefully, play a more attractive style of rugby where I can get my hands on the ball a lot more.”

TEAMS

England Saxons

15 E Daly

14 J May

13 J Tomkins

12 J Turner-Hall

11 T Biggs

10 G Ford

9 R Wigglesworth

1 M Mullan

2 J Gray

3 P Doran-Jones

4 G Kitchener

5 G Robson

6 G Kruis

7 W Fraser

8 J Crane (capt)

Subs

16 R Buchanan

17 N Wood

18 K Brookes

19 E Slater

20 J Gibson

21 J Simpson

22 G Lowe

23 K Eastmond

Scotland A

15 G Tonks

14 D Taylor

13 A Grove

12 A Dunbar

11 N Walker

10 T Heathcote

9 S Kennedy

1 A Dickinson

2 S Lawrie

3 J Welsh

4 T Ryder

5 T Swinson

6 S McInally

7 R Vernon

8 R Wilson (capt)

Subs

16 A Walker

17 G Shiells

18 G Reid

19 R McAlpine

20 J Eddie

21 J Stevenson

22 B Cairns

23 D Fife