Rory Bremner determined to make good impression on Hall of Fame night

FAMOUS Scottish impressionist and satirist Rory Bremner has admitted that he is a little nervous ahead of his first major engagement at Murrayfield Stadium, unsure if Gavin Hastings is over the moon with the way in which he is mimicked.

Bremner is the guest speaker at tonight's unveiling of the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame, where 12 players and other characters who have lit up the game over the past 130 years will be officially inducted into the new 'Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame'. A panel of judges chaired by John Jeffrey and featuring former Scotland hooker and The Scotsman rugby writer Norman Mair, Sir Ian McGeechan, Chris Rea and John Beattie, have spent the past few months painstakingly looking back over the achievements of players, coaches, officials and other aspects of the sport that have made Scotland unique.

They also threw open to the public a vote for the player to be the first inducted from the 1990s period and the winner of that era will be revealed at the gala dinner tonight, along with internationalists from the 2000s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s, post-war era, between the wars period, the pre-war, and four other 'special' nominations that cover non-players. Bremner admitted yesterday that he was still working on his speech and was deliberating over which famous players he might impersonate.

Launching into an uncanny Hastings voice, he said: "I don't know if I can do Gavin, really ... because he is not a big fan ... and I don't know ... if there is enough ... time ... on the night ... to finish one ... of Gavin's sentences." Reverting back to Bremner, he continued: "In all honesty, it will be very weird for me to be there with so many great players like Gavin appearing, players who I stood on the terraces at Murrayfield and watched and others who I remember going to ask for an autograph from when I was 12 or 13.

"My rugby passion was ignited really in the 1970s era, by players like Andy Irvine, this great full-back who seemed to explode from nowhere in 1972 and was a great risk-taker, and whose autograph I remember queuing for at Goldenacre.

"I know I am associated very much with the political scene and current affairs, and I'm not sure if that might be what people will be expecting of me, but I hope to be able to provide a little mix maybe of that but also some great memories of Scottish rugby that are very dear to me too as part of what will be a tremendous event. And maybe a bit of big Gav, if he is sitting some distance from me."