Scotland v Japan: Solomons has made an impression on Dents

The influence of Alan Solomons could have led to the re-blossoming of David Denton for both Edinburgh and for Scotland.

The 23-year-old No 8 returns to the Scotland starting line-up at Murrayfield believing he’s back to the form that made him such a sensation in his first international season in 2012.

Second or third season syndrome was something Johnson suspected might affect Denton, whose form slumped as teams countered his straight-ahead, physical style, ending with him losing his Scotland place to the returning Johnnie Beattie.

However, Beattie hasn’t played much this season while Denton has played almost every game for Edinburgh, revelling in the new role mapped out for him by the veteran former Springbok coach Solomons.

“They’re off the same wavelength, coming from the same part of the world,” said Johnson, referring to Denton’s upbringing in Zimbabwe.

“Solly’s been good and understands the kid, and his form has been terrific. Dents has got a point of difference if he’s playing well, we get a bit of momentum from him.”

Denton agrees and says that discussions with Solomons resulted in him playing on rather than taking rest in the early part of the season.

“I had no interest in getting rested because I hadn’t played a lot of rugby,” he said. “I had that conversation with Solly and was more than happy to keep going.

“Last season was tough because I didn’t get a run of games. The most frustrating thing was every time I felt I was coming back to form I had to take a few weeks or even a couple of months out. But I played nine on the bounce for Edinburgh at the start of the season.

“A few of the guys were getting rested, but for me it was important to get as many games as I could.”

And he’s approaching the games in a different way instead of his primary focus of ball-carrying, with Solomons’ encouragement.

“He is putting a massive emphasis on me doing a lot more around the field,” he said. “I think I need to use my size and athleticism in as many ways as I can.

“I’m trying to make sure I have as big an impact in defence as I make in attack, and in particular at the breakdown.

“For Scotland and Edinburgh the breakdown is massively important to the way we want to play so that’s an area I need to be very good at.”

His experience last season when things didn’t go to plan has strengthened his resolve for this campaign, starting with Japan on Saturday.

“What it has done is show me what can happen,” he said. “I had a horrible run of luck, and I didn’t play well when I was fit at the start of the season.

“But I think that’s something I had to experience to learn from. I understand that I will have a bad game here and there, but what I’ve learned is how to come back from it now.

“I want to play as well as I can and I want to stand out, but I just want to do my role in the team and try to get three wins.

“If we can come out of the autumn Tests successfully it will be awesome for Scottish rugby and that will be awesome for us all as individuals.”

Meanwhile, returning skipper Kelly Brown believes Japan are a big threat to the Scots on Saturday due to developing a more all-round game under Eddie Jones, who sadly will not be with the team due to his recent illness.

“It’s going to be incredibly tough. They beat Wales in the summer, maybe not full strength, but they’re a very good team,” said the captain.

“We’re expecting a battle, they’re a side that like to play wide, but I know they’re trying to build an all-round game and Steve Borthwick, my captain at Saracens, is involved with them, helping with their lineouts.

“We actually got the same plane up and he was quizzing me about what the team was, but he got nothing!

“But by using a player like Steve to help shows how they want to add balance to their game instead of just playing at speed all the time.”

Article source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/rugby-henry-four-frame-captaincy-104348234--spt.html

Scotland v Japan: Solomons has made an impression on Dents