Scotland's Tim Visser confident of another Twickenham victory
Scotland open Six Nations campaign against England
The last Scottish player to score a winning try against England at Twickenham, anyone? No, not Tom Smith, the debutant prop who secured Scotland's most recent Calcutta Cup success on "foreign" soil back in the mists of 1983. Tim Visser achieved the feat just two years ago.
The Dutch-born winger was not officially Scottish at the time – he had to wait until last June to qualify on residency grounds – but he does have experience of beating England on their own patch. And that could prove invaluable when it comes to the 2012 wooden spoonists opening their 2013 Six Nations campaign in south-west London on Saturday week.
"Yeah, I scored two tries for the BaaBaas at Twickenham," Visser said, recalling his part in a 38-22 victory for a Barbarians side captained by Sergio Parisse. "I've played at Twickenham a few times. I won the Middlesex Sevens there with Newcastle. It's a great place to play. I've always enjoyed it. I don't think I've ever lost there."
Scotland, of course, go to Twickenham next week on the back of an autumn whitewash that cost Andy Robinson his job as head coach. Scott Johnson has taken charge of the squad as interim head coach until the end of June and has been putting Visser and his colleagues through their paces at a new training location in Glasgow.
"It has been a fresh start," Visser said, speaking before an open training session at Glasgow's Scotstoun Stadium. "Johnno has brought his own slant on things.
"We are not in St Andrews, where we usually have our training camps. He is trying to make a fresh start. We can't get away with what happened in the past."
Back-row forwards Johnnie Beattie and David Denton were only able to play a limited part in Scotland's open training session after picking up injuries on club duty.
Beattie, back in the international fold for the first time in 18 months, reported for training with a wrist problem following Montpellier's Heineken Cup win over Toulon on Saturday
Denton, meanwhile, is suffering from a knee injury having failed a late fitness test ahead of Edinburgh's weekend game with Saracens.
The Scotland team doctor, James Robson, said of the duo: "Both are progressing in their recovery and will be subject to further assessment this week with a view to being available for consideration."
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