Rugby: Rennie's burning desire to see Scotland finally topple New Zealand

But if it is true all things come to those who wait then the player most qualified to endorse that view is Edinburgh's 24-year-old back row replacement Ross Rennie who, at some stage, is expected to take the final step on a journey from the rugby wilderness.

Back in early 2008 the future looked bright for the one-time member of the British children's ski team, whose incredibly balanced running in hitting rucks at pace and forcing turnovers might owe something to his days on the slopes.

A late call up to the squad for a Six Nations trip to Dublin resulted in a debut from off the bench only for two horrendous knee injuries to propel the former Edinburgh Academy and Stewart's Melville prospect backwards.

Fortunately, Rennie never stopped believing and again there might be a parallel with a Scottish side who have taken a few knocks themselves in modern times but have bounced back to the extent that an eye-catching amount of bullish optimism, considering their overall record in this fixture, might even be justified.

Referring to a run that started with a home draw against England and was followed by away victories over Ireland and Argentina (twice) - all teams occupying a higher placing in the world rankings - Rennie said: "This Scotland team has a good spirit and a good work ethic which makes me feel fortunate to be involved."

According to Rennie, there is also a strong conviction regarding what has to be done to re-write the record books.

"It is an awesome challenge confronting us and we have to concentrate on ourselves first and foremost.

"That means doing basics correctly with no silly mistakes."

At the same time there is a balance to be struck.

"We know what New Zealand can do and we can't be afraid to show what we can do also. There's no point in being scared of going for it provided the basics are in place."

Rennie was introduced to provide fresh impetus during the second half of his previous appearance at this level and the over-riding aim, as stated by coach Andy Robinson, is for Scotland to get themselves into the game .?.?. leaving the likes of Rennie to do damage late on.

Adds Rennie: "I was delighted to get the previous call and it is, hopefully, a case of unfinished rugby business at this level for me. But while this is just as good an opportunity it is also different. For the Dublin matches I was flung in (John Barclay pulled out with a damaged hand) whereas I am enjoying the build-up and, of course, the fact that the match is in Edinburgh.

"So far as my skiing was concerned, I reached a crossroads and took a decision to go with rugby. It was precisely for opportunities like this and a match against the All Blacks would always be one of the top priorities for anybody aspiring to the international scene."

Rennie's return trip included a visit to a specialist rehab clinic run by Bill Knowles in the US, but it is surely a good omen that he claims to have been too focused on returning to notice time away from the game before medical supervision allowed him to start stringing consecutive outings together only a few weeks ago.

"It's been a long journey but one that's happened very quickly.

"Sure, it's been lonely at times but to get involved with Scotland was always what kept me going day-by-day."

If there has been one moment this week which confirms Scotland might be back in a realistic scalp hunt it came in the form of a momentary silence from hooker Ross Ford as he contemplated his "highlight" of the past year. Weighing up ending a run of eight successive Six Nations Championship defeats by Ireland with the first ever Southern Hemisphere Test series triumph in Argentina and last year's Murrayfield victory over Australia, when last did a Scotland player have such a decision to make?

Edinburgh star Ford eventually declared: "It has to be beating Australia because it was the first time we had beaten them in a long while (1982). Andy Robinson has long maintained that the result is always in our own hands no matter what the opposition does.

"That has been instilled in us and the Australian result proved it."

Nevertheless, Ford is all about looking ahead with confidence that extends to making light of the fact that Scotland have not played together for five months and might be rusty.

"We've basically been around as a team for a while and know how each other play and can step back into a routine. We'll be fresh and that can give us another extra edge."

Nevertheless, potential rustiness is a worry, especially with the All Black playmaker Dan Carter hinting that the situation could give his team even more of an edge having encountered Australia in Hong Kong on the way over and England last weekend.

Says Carter: "The Scots can be nice and fresh.

"But it is a little bit easier having a couple of Tests under your belt. We have things to work on from the previous week and rustiness was perhaps a factor (earlier in the tour) especially in Hong Kong."

Carter went on to specific areas where the world No ?1s can get even better.

"We are not holding on to the ball well enough and putting ourselves under pressure the way we are turning ball over.

"Also, we are not sealing games. We're scoring tries and then taking the throttle off giving teams opportunities to come back."

As a former world player of the year, Carter could be excused feeling extra pressure every time he takes the field.

Instead, he insists: "I know I can be better and I'm always looking at parts of my game I can improve." Carter's modesty extends to ensuring there is plenty of respect afforded his opposite number - Dan Parks.

"Dan is a great player who reads the game well," he says. While it is undoubtedly the case that Parks has been a revelation for Scotland, a huge onus relies on him and the remainder of the backs.

On the last occasion the All Blacks called, in 2008, stats showed Scotland managed more line-breaks only to lost 32-6. Indeed, the Scots haven't scored a try against their illustrious foe in over two matches.