Following another month of international activity that has exposed Scottish rugby's endemic problems, a real ray of hope shone out last weekend, and for once it came from the musty corridors of power.

The election of Ian Rankin to the vice-presidency of the Scottish Rugby Union, a man who had, only weeks earlier, stood down as head coach of a club side, spoke volumes, not least because of the landslide nature of the win. It represents a real mandate as it reflects the strength of support for him.

That Peter Lavery, the current assistant coach of the country's leading club, Ayr, was simultaneously elected to the Scottish Rugby Council reinforces the impression that there is, at last, a real prospect of addressing the disconnect that exists between the SRU and the clubs which own it, but which it also governs.

Rankin, in particular, has qualifications that would have suited him perfectly to the post of national director of rugby, had it been advertised. He has, after all, been a head coach and manager at professional level and someone who has transformed rugby in Dundee, Scotland's fourth city in the past decade.

As was evident in his interview in Herald Sport at the beginning of this month, no-one is better placed to understand what is required to bring about the changes needed to allow the Scottish rugby community to operate in unified and purposeful fashion, to the benefit of both the club and professional games.

Given the petty jealousies that blight Scottish rugby, it was all the more encouraging, a few months ago, to hear Lavery, whose work with Kenny Murray has brought Ayr a mountain of silverware in recent years, explain why he was prepared to stand for the SRU Council.

From the opposite side of the country and having engaged in fierce rivalry with Rankin, he cited the prospect of them potentially being able to speak effectively on behalf of clubs should they both be elected, as a major motivation for allowing his name to be put forward as the Premier One representative.

My conversation with Rankin, conducted at his invitation and which, he says, prompted a significant response from the wider rugby community, reminded me of another I had in the kitchen of another devoted Scottish rugby man a couple of years ago when he explained his reasons for standing for the SRU presidency.

Then Ian "Mighty Mouse" McLauchlan outlined the changes he felt had to be made in terms of the organisation's direction and, in his own inimitable fashion, he imposed his will in bringing about the departure of Gordon McKie, the then chief executive.

What he recognised was that, in the drive for greater fiscal efficiency, McKie, an accountant who had admitted that rugby was far from his first sporting love, seemed to have lost sight of the core business which is to promote the playing of rugby, primarily through its leading players.

That was a matter of policy and McLauchlan undoubtedly was right. He remains involved at board level, seeking to ensure that remains the priority. He has also, naturally, been a supporter of Mark Dodson, the chief executive in whose appointment he played a part and who quite clearly bought into that policy.

For all his qualities, it is a long, long time since McLauchlan was directly involved in the playing side of the game, as the likes of Rankin and Lavery are. They are men who know where the problems lie in terms of generating and maintaining interest in the sport and they are considerable.

In short, there is a big difference between policy, which is essentially about the goals and aims of an organisation and strategy, which covers the means of getting there.

Where McKie was a fine strategist, implementing in minute detail the plans which brought fiscal responsibility to the organisation, the benefits of which are still being enjoyed, the jury is still out on the current board which declared, a year ago, that its strategic target was to win the 2015 World Cup.

Events of recent weeks have offered a reminder of how likely that is, as the Lions selectors have overlooked the very best of Scotland's current squad when selecting Test teams, while the national side itself has suffered a first defeat to Samoa.

With results elsewhere indicating that the likes of Canada and Japan, as well as the South Sea Islands, are gaining ground, the essential problems for Scottish rugby remain the same as they have been throughout the professional era: namely too few youngsters playing the sport and insufficient quality competition for the best of them.

Rankin told me he does not see the role of vice-president or president as purely ambassadorial and, like McLauchlan before him, it is important that he now asserts himself and ensures that he conveys his profound understanding of those issues while communicating clearly both to and from clubs.

In saying all of which, the whole conversation should now be taking place within an environment where all of the most senior people within Murrayfield are working towards the same end.

McLauchlan brought about the change in policy that was needed, it is now down to Rankin and Lavery to build on it by insisting on the changes required to implement it strategically.