The setting is the same and Danny Brough is hoping a similar atmosphere will be generated as his Scotland team begin their European Championship bid tonight at the ground where their outstanding World Cup run got under way a year ago.

The captain and playmaker led the side magnificently as they earned the right to compete with the very best in the game last autumn, his scratch team of part-time professionals claiming a surprise place in the quarter-finals, where they put up a commendable performance against defending champions New Zealand.

Injuries and suspension mean it is an even less experienced squad that will take the field in the gritty Cumbrian coastal town of Workington (kick-off 8pm), but last year's Super League 'Man of Steel' has been working to try to regenerate the spirit that marked that campaign.

Since Scotland had nominal home advantage for two of their three matches in what is effectively, in the absence of England, a second tier competition this time around, the decision to play their first match in Workington, rather than north of the border, was a potentially controversial one.

All the more so given that tonight's opponents, Wales, were able to name Peter Lupton, who plays for Workington, as their captain, but Brough believes they have built successfully on the relationship created as the locals took Scotland to their hearts when they shocked Tonga and Italy last year.

"We've had a good build-up since we came into the camp on Tuesday," he reported. "It's a good base. The locals have taken us on again and I don't know what effect that [Lupton's leadership of Wales] will have, but I'd like to think we'll get the sort of backing from them that we got last year."

For his own part, Brough comes into the competition on the back of a rather less successful season than a year ago, when he won that selection as the outstanding player in European rugby league's top competition, and his inclusion raised some eyebrows since it is well known that many in Super League have reservations about leading players competing in international matches at this time of year.

"It's been a mixed season, but I'm really looking forward to the tournament," he said. "Our coach said it was up to me whether I played and, like every Super League coach he wants to be sure you're ready for pre-season, which starts in the first week in November, but I would rather be out there."

As ever the absence of others represents an opportunity for those who have replaced them, and Brough, at 31 the oldest player in the squad by five years, has been pleased with what he has seen in training this week, not least from the homegrown players.

"The youngsters who have come in are really willing to learn," he said. "They are at the start of their careers and I would hope that they were really excited by what we did last year at the World Cup, because we want as many homegrown lads in the team as we can get."

While it may be stretching things for the winners to claim to be the true European champions, there are huge prizes on offer, since victory in this tournament brings a place in the 2016 Four Nations tournament with Australia, England and New Zealand, while the Welsh and Irish have the additional incentive of joining Scotland and France in avoiding the qualifying tournament for the 2017 World Cup if they win this title.

"Ours is a young, inexperienced squad," Brough acknowledged. "France has the best squad on paper, but for us it's about winning your first game. That's all we're thinking about that this stage.

"I don't think we can read too much into the rankings, because they are all pretty new squads. Us, Ireland and Wales are all on an even keel.

"It would be great to get into the Four Nations tournament, though. If we can get there I'm sure a few more would put their hands up to play. Obviously, we'd like to see a full-strength squad going out there all the time, but that comes down to funding as well and Scotland Rugby League hasn't really got much."

The Scots go in as underdogs once again, but do so led by a man who sets his aspirations high.

"Around Super League, people were really impressed with what we did last year. I think they felt that we over-achieved with the squad we had, but I always believed we could do well," he said.

After their bid to do so once more begins tonight, they visit Ireland next week before rounding things off against France in Galashiels on Hallowe'en.