LONDON: He once turned up to a press conference wearing camouflage to poke fun at the All Blacks, and the Wallabies expect former attack coach Scott Johnson to be "rubbing his crystal ball" to lift Scotland to a World Cup quarter-final triumph.
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The Wallabies are refusing to listen to talk that they have fallen on the easier side of the World Cup play-off draw, avoiding South Africa and New Zealand until a potential final clash.
Scotland, ranked ninth in the world, has beaten the Wallabies twice in the past three matches between the countries.
Prior to the 9-8 loss in 2009, Scotland had not beaten Australia since 1982.
Australian Johnson is the director of rugby at Scotland, who also boast Queensland Reds 2011 Super Rugby championship-winning defence coach Matt Taylor.
Almost a decade ago Johnson responded to spying claims from New Zealand by fronting the media in camouflage kit, and the Wallabies expect more of his tricks at Twickenham on Sunday (Monday morning AEDT).
"They're very well coached … you've got Vern Cotter [as head coach] and Scotty Johnson is in the background, rubbing his crystal ball and pulling teams apart," said Wallabies defence coach Nathan Grey.
"He's a real rugby savant. They'll have a very clear game plan on how they want to play us, they've got a lot of threats across the park.
"… [Johnson] knows the game very well, he's someone you'd like to have in your ranks."
Scotland humbled the Wallabies on a horror night in Newcastle three years ago in torrential conditions.
And they will pounce on the Wallabies if they take their foot off the pedal in the quarter-final showdown.
The winner of the Wallabies-Scotland duel will advance to a semi-final clash against either Ireland or Argentina.
There are nine Australian survivors from the 2009 disaster in a World Cup squad of 31 and another six from the 2012 horror night.
Prop Sekope Kepu said the nightmares of those nights would ensure the Wallabies don't take Scotland easy.
"They are a quality team and again it will be another step up. It's quarter-finals, it's finals footy and there's a lot at stake," Kepu said.
"One thing we have been working on is not taking anything for granted. It is something that Cheik always goes on about, to not rest on your laurels.
"Now it is about going through what we did last week, and not getting bored with doing all the basics and doing them well."
The Wallabies will wait until later in the week to decide on the availability of David Pocock (calf) and Israel Folau (ankle).
WORLD CUP QUARTER FINALS
Quarter final one: South Africa v Wales at Twickenham, 2am Sunday AEDT.
Quarter final two: New Zealand v France at Cardiff, 6am Sunday AEDT.
Quarter final three: Ireland v Argentina at Cardiff, 11pm Sunday AEDT.
Quarter final four: Australia v Scotland at Twickenham, 2am Monday AEDT.
