The Scots lost 15-6 in Plymouth but Jonny, who is aiming to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and Scotland international Richie, says it’s right up there with the best moments in his rugby career so far.
Jonny, who is part of Glasgow Warriors’ Elite Development squad as well as Scottish Premiership side Currie, told the East Kilbride News: “I couldn’t believe it when I was asked to be captain, I was so shocked.
“But it is a massive honour to captain your country, especially against England, and although it wasn’t the result we were looking for, it’s definitely right up there with my best experiences.
“I played a game for the Warriors against Edinburgh in December and that was a dream come true for me because I’ve supported the Warriors since I was a boy.
“So that game and captaining my country are special moments for me.
“We were pretty disappointed not to beat England because the boys dug so deep and we gave them a good game.
“England are the favourites for the Six Nations but we go into every game believing we can win and there’s a lot to take from our performance.”
The Scots now take on Italy at Netherdale in Galashiels and Jonny believes the lessons they have learned from the England match will stand them in good stead. The 18-year-old said: “If we show the same character and belief that we did against England, we can win this game.
“Italy are a very physical team and their players are really passionate about the game. However, the England match has taught us we need to take our chances when they come along and that’s something we will try and make sure happens on Saturday.”
The Scotland second row also thanked Glasgow Warriors for helping him get to the stage where he is captaining his country.
“The Warriors have been fantastic,” said Jonny. I’m learning all the time with them and playing for Scotland is a result of that.
“It’s a great experience but I know I’ve still got a lot to improve in my game if I’m to get to the next level.”
Glasgow's Adam Ashe and Mark Bennett have been selected alongside Jonny for the match with Italy.