Captain to be first-choice player to avoid repeat of Kellock’s World Cup fate

SCOTLAND coach Andy Robinson is set to modify his approach to the national team’s captaincy.

Previously under Robinson, the job has been held by scrum-halves Chris Cusiter, Mike Blair, Rory Lawson and second row Alastair Kellock, who was leader in New Zealand. Kellock’s omission from the team which lost to Argentina was a controversial move, with Lawson taking over for one match. Robinson stands by the tactical decision, even though he reinstated Kellock in the team and as captain for the England match the following week. But he now anticipates selecting a first-choice pick as skipper. The door could now be open for Cusiter to return as captain.

Robinson said: “Al’s captained the side very, very well and I’ve been delighted with the way he’s operated as a leader. But you review everything and it wasn’t ideal for me not to select him against Argentina. If I select a captain I’ve got to pick him. I fully realise that.

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“The decision will be made around a player that is going to be playing in the team and playing well in the team.”

Robinson’s admission is set to spark debate and, as well as having a strong candidate in the shape of Cuister, John Barclay would also be a leading contender.

Like New Zealand’s Richie McCaw and Wales’ Sam Warburton, the Glasgow Warriors No 7 ticks all the boxes – he is a first-choice, he has held the job previously, assuming the role from Blair in the November 2010 loss to New Zealand – and would be an astute choice. But there are other options such as Kelly Brown and Ross Ford.

Barclay, Brown and Ford are likely to be key men in 2012 and beyond for Scotland as Robinson prepares to integrate up-and-coming talent into Test rugby.

“I think the way we worked with Richie Gray and Ruaridh Jackson are good models of how we’re going to be working with our younger players coming in,” he added.

Robinson will be avoiding wholesale change for the RBS Six Nations, but the likes of Edinburgh back row duo David Denton and Stuart McInally, and Glasgow backs Stuart Hogg and Duncan Weir could be drafted into the squad after impressive performances with the professional teams so far this season.

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