Six Nations: Kelly Brown lends support from sidelines

“The message was quite simple: we are good enough to beat this England team but we have to be at our best to do it,” he explained.

Brown insisted that he was never going to stay away from the opening match of the championship despite the emotional turmoil he has faced in coming to terms with having the greatest honour for a Scotland rugby player of being asked to lead the country cruelly denied him. He joined the squad in Edinburgh on Thursday night, complete with crutches, and handed out the Scotland jerseys with some words of encouragement after the captain’s run yesterday.

“I would never miss this,” he said. “It has been an emotional couple of weeks, going from the high of speaking to Andy and being asked to be Scotland captain to sitting on the pitch in Treviso knowing I’d done something to my leg, but not knowing exactly what.

“I spoke to Andy the night that I knew I was going to be ruled out, and said I was keen to come up and help in any way I can. I absolutely love playing for Scotland and being in camp, and if there is any way I can help the guys I will. Now I have had my surgery I’m on the way back.”

Much of that support so far has come in the way of advice on the England team, with Brown’s move to Saracens in 2010 a great blessing as they are the form side in England and provide five of today’s starting line-up. Brown was also asked for his insight into the Scots by England assistant coach Andy Farrell, who is also on the Sarries staff.

“There was a bit of banter a few weeks ago” said Brown, laughing.

“He was trying to guess what the Scotland team would be but it was all in light spirits. It’s been good fun at the club, and I’m just hoping I can go back there next week with my head held high.

“Andy is a great coach and has so much knowledge of the game and he is also fiercely passionate. I’m sure he will have them tearing out of the tunnel, ready to throw everything at us.

“As for the players they have, I do know them all pretty well, but the main thing I have said to our guys is that they are all very good players. They may not have a lot of caps, but I’m under no illusion as to how tough this will be.

“I have played in the same side as five or six of these guys and against a lot of the other England players, and it will be a step-up for a lot of them, but they are good rugby players.

“This is the first time in years that I feel England are the underdogs and that will inspire them as it always does us. I don’t buy any of the talk in the press about them being young and inexperienced. This is going to be a huge test and a very good game, but if we play at the top of our ability then we can beat them.

“And I can’t wait. As soon as the whistle goes, I’ll be the same as the other 60,000 Scots in the stadium screaming. I just hope they go out and play as they can and we get that win.”