Returning Mike Blair on pole to captain Scotland against the All Blacks

• Lead role: Mike Blair set to captain Scots

Blair was Andy Robinson's captain at Edinburgh when the Englishman first took over the pro team but oddly the lightweight scrum-half has yet to start an international under the current coach. His last Test start came in March 2009 when Scotland lost to England at Twickenham in Frank Hadden's final match, which was also the last time Blair led Scotland on to the field of play. The scrum-half's form subsequently nosedived allowing first Chris Cusiter and then Lawson to overtake him in the rankings.

This season has witnessed Blair back to something like his best form for his club and, with Cusiter nursing an injured knee and Lawson missing several weeks thanks to a broken bone in his hand, it looks like Robinson will resort to one of his old favourites to lead Scotland against the All Blacks.

While Robinson has barely put a foot wrong in his time with Scotland, his policy of rotating the captaincy has raised a few eyebrows. The coach has repeatedly argued that any good team needs a host of leaders across the board, defence, scrum, lineout etc, etc, so whoever tosses the coin is arguably less important than previously imagined. Others might argue that consistency is vital, even more so in the run-up to a World Cup, and handing the job to whichever scrum-half is starting could be unsettling, especially since the half-backs are regularly replaced during a game.

The pundits probably expected John Barclay to lead the side on the basis that he is going to get the job sooner or later so it might as well be now. Instead it appears that the flanker will be asked to lead the forward pack while trying to keep tabs on either Richie McCaw or Daniel Braid.

Al Kellock proved a hugely successful skipper, not only taking over from Cusiter during the match to lead Scotland to victory to their first win over the Wallabies in 27 years but also fronting the Scots successful summer tour to New Zealand. But before he can contemplate captaining Scotland again, the Glasgow man must first regain his place in the starting XV.