Canine company and gaming glory for Johnson

• 22 Apr 2020

There might not be any action on the pitch to keep him focused, but life in lockdown is definitely keeping Sam Johnson on his toes.

Yet it’s not
so much been fitness regime prescribed by the club’s strength and conditioning
team that’s been occupying the centre’s time; that role has been fulfilled by
the latest addition to the household.

“[Eilidh and
I] actually recently got an English Bulldog puppy called Franklin – we were
going to adopt him over the summer, but we thought now would be a good time,” explained
Johnson.

“He’s
definitely keeping us busy! It’s pretty full-on – we live on the second floor
as well, so there have been plenty of trips up and down the stairs over the
course of each day.

“He’s been
pretty good though, although he does like to nibble a fair few things…”

Whilst the
ongoing COVID-19 situation means that squad training and social gatherings are
currently off-limits, a few Glasgow team-mates have continued to make their presence
felt over the past few weeks. That’s meant a positional shift for Johnson,
though, converting himself into a dangerous winger instead of his usual
midfield role.

“Six of us
are part of FC Bubbly on FIFA,” explains Johnson.

“We’ve got
Andrew Davidson as the left striker, George Horne at right striker, Adam
Hastings in central midfield, Huw Jones on the left wing, myself on the right
and Grant Stewart in defence.

“We’ve been
throwing out a few challenges to others on pro clubs, and we’ve been rolling
over everyone! We’ve definitely won more than we’ve lost, that’s for sure.

“It’s a team
effort, but if someone reckons they’re the star player it’s probably Hasto. Him
and Andrew are the two main speakers on the headsets!”

Speaking of
team efforts, it’s been a longer spell than most since Johnson ran out in front
of the Scotstoun faithful. Having made his Scotland debut in the 2019 Guinness
Six Nations, the 26-year-old once again represented the famous dark blue jersey
with distinction in a highly competitive 2020 tournament.

“The Six
Nations was a huge leap in the right direction for us,” said Johnson.

“There was a
lot of change at the start of the year, with Steve Tandy and Pieter de Villiers
coming in and a few experienced heads calling it a day after the Rugby World
Cup. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience overall, though, and it was a
shame we couldn’t get that last game in Wales played at the time.

“Hopefully
we can continue where we left off once we do get back out there after a good
win over France, because we felt like we were in a good position.”

For now, though,
rugby takes a back seat in both Scottish and global society. Yet when the green
light is given to return to action, Johnson – like his team-mates – will be
straining at the leash to be let loose in front of the Warrior Nation.

“Hopefully
everyone’s doing the right thing and following the guidelines, staying indoors
and flattening the curve,” said the centre.

“Everyone’s
really looking forward to getting back out there, from players and coaches to
supporters.

“Until then
though it’s about staying home and staying safe, and continuing to do our bit.”