Chris Cusiter: Half a Scotland captain
Andy Robinson insists his dual-captaincy model is right for Scotland as he comes to terms with his first injury issues as Head Coach.
Eyebrows were raised on Monday when Robinson announced Mike Blair and Chris Cusiter would share the armband during this month's November internationals, with the side skippered by whichever scrum-half was on the field at the time.
Blair - who had led Scotland for the last year and a half - and Cusiter - who was captain of the A team during the summer - have been working well together as a unit during this week's training camp at St Andrews, according to Robinson.
"I think by sharing the captaincy off the pitch and working together, they can forge a really great partnership and I've really seen that with the way the two of them speak to each other and the way that they lead," former England boss Robinson said ahead of his first game in charge against Fiji next Saturday.
Edinburgh's Blair and Glasgow's Cusiter have been vying for the number nine jersey for years.
"They have the respect of the players that are playing with them and they're very competitive," added Robinson.
"I love that competitive edge that they have and I've also enjoyed the fact that they get on very well together as well.
"I've been pleased so far with how both of them have captained and led in meetings."
Robinson, who revealed he had already selected his starting XV, attempted to play down the significance of the armband itself by insisting he was looking for leadership responsibility to be spread around the field.
"We've got vice-captains working below that, we've got a leader of the line-out, leader of the scrum, leader of defence and attack, all have input in this, so it's sharing the leadership, which means that the guys can focus on their own performances," he said.
"It's not just about the two captains, and I think that's a key part to understand, that the captain has an important role to play but the most important thing for a captain is that he performs himself."
Robinson is fully aware his radical model will become an easy scapegoat if results fail to match expectations.
"If you lose, people look at all different reasons why you lose," he said.
"I think this will allow us to perform at our very best and that's why I've thought about it and decided to go this way.
"I've got to deal with the criticism as it comes."
There was both good and bad news on the injury front for Robinson on what was the final day of Scotland's three-day training camp.
Record points-scorer and cap holder Chris Paterson was able to take part after requiring hospital treatment on a foot injury.
Edinburgh team-mate Ben Cairns missed out as he continued to receive treatment on a knee problem, as did Glasgow number eight Johnnie Beattie, though his absence with a groin problem was precautionary.
But Gloucester prop Alasdair Dickinson was ruled out for the entire November programme due to his shoulder injury, meaning Kyle Traynor was promoted to the full squad.
"Kyle's been improving over the last two years. He got into the Edinburgh squad last year and he settled in well," said Robinson.
"He's a confident lad and he's got good skills."
Glasgow star Max Evans arrived at St Andrews also hoping to break into the full squad but, despite training throughout the camp, he has been ruled out with a knee injury.
Outside centre Evans has only just returned from surgery on his opposite knee but is set to go under the knife again for a minor procedure that will sideline him for at least a month.
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