RUARIDH Jackson is determined to make his mark when Scotland play Fiji in Suva on Saturday.
With Finn Russell, the starting fly-half in both tour games so far, having left the Scotland camp to join the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand, back Jackson feels he has an opportunity to win his first cap for almost 12 months, the last one coming against Japan last summer.
“I am desperate to get on the pitch and show what I can do,” he said. “With Finn where I think he deserves to be (with the Lions), it gives me an opportunity.
“If I get that that chance I am desperate to put my hand up. There is a lot of excitement about this squad, about what we can do, what we can achieve.
“We are kicking on from where Vern (Cotter, the former head coach) left it and we are looking in a good place for the future. It is something you want to be playing in.”
Jackson was named at full-back in the original squad, but most of his 30 caps so far have come at fly-half, and that is where he hopes to get his chance on Saturday.
“Ten is where I prefer playing,” he said. “I enjoy full-back as well so if I have to step in there, then I am glad to do so, but fly-half is where I want to be and where I feel most comfortable.
“There was a really memorable moment at the weekend, beating Australia in Sydney, but we have another huge game coming up - you can’t rest on the last one, the next game is always the most important.
“Fiji are a dangerous side, and they have a bit of confidence after beating Italy. They have weapons all over the pitch so we will need an 80-minute defensive performance and hope the attack will take care of itself.”
Harlequins’ Jackson is one of the many players in the Scotland side to have played alongside scrum-half Niko Matawalu and lock Leone Nakarawa when they were at Glasgow, so he has some idea of what to expect.
Having formed a half-back partnership with Matawalu, Jackson has a particularly good understanding of what to expect from the Fijian playmaker.
“It’s fun and frustrating at the same time,” Jackson said. “Trying to control him and play to a game plan is a bit tricky but when you see some of the things he did in a Glasgow shirt, it is almost unbelievable.”
Meanwhile, Wales head coach Robin McBryde has warned his team to be wary of a “wounded animal” when they face Samoa on Friday.
The Pacific Island nation were hammered 78-0 by the All Blacks in Auckland but a wary McBryde said: “Samoa are a wounded animal after their scoreline against the All Blacks.
“We know they will be a different proposition on Friday night.”
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