As the RBS 6 Nations roadshow got under way at the prop forward production line that is Hillfoots RFC, Herald Sport's Kevin Ferrie took the chance to quiz former Scotland captains and now RBS ambassadors Chris Paterson and Andy Nicol on their thoughts on this season's championship.

Today – Scotland v England, looking back . . . and forward

KF You must have been Chris's captain for his first Six Nations win when you won that famous Calcutta Cup match back in 2000.

AN It was a long time ago.

CP I'd just turned 22.

AN That was still a very young player at that time, though. People didn't get capped that early then.

CP And I wasn't much more than 11 stone.

KF Beating England was astonishing that year. They were coming to Murrayfield looking for a grand slam and Scotland needed to win to avoid a whitewash; it's a bit like [Scotland's position in] the last two seasons when we've gone into the final match without a win.

AN There were 10 years between Scottish victories and a lot of people have likened that performance to the grand slam win in 1990, but the huge difference was that in 1990 we were going for the grand slam too, and were a good side. We [the team in 2000] were quite the opposite, having played four and lost four, although we played progressively better as that championship went on and had played some pretty good rugby but couldn't score; [there are] a lot of similarities to the last few years.

However, one of the best bits of motivational video I've ever seen was that year when they clipped together bits of the Wales game but just stopped it before the play had broken down. I tell you what . . . it showed that we could play and that we were a better side than played four, lost four.

It totally changed the psychology and that whole week was about believing we could win. That was them starting their World Cup journey and they were a hell of a side. From memory, 12 of the 15 that won [the 2003 World Cup] in Sydney were probably playing that day. [Martin] Johnson wasn't, which was key, but our whole game plan was built around getting in among them.

Stopping [Matt] Dawson was important because he kick-started a lot of their game. Because our forwards would always be within 10 yards so couldn't touch him, Snowie [Glen Metcalfe] came in a few times early on and just smacked him. It put them off their game. We were also trying to get in about [Simon] Shaw and [Gareth] Archer because Archer especially was a bit of a hot-head. If you watch the video of that game, when the whistle went there was always a little bit of afters going on. Nothing serious, just making sure they knew we were around.

KF Back then that was the only way Scotland were going to win because they were that much better, though, whereas now it doesn't feel like that.

AN There was still back then a huge intimidation factor in playing England because they had really good players.

KF They still do now, but it had been 10 years [since Scotland had won] . . . It had been your whole career without beating them to that point.

CP I remember Gregor Townsend saying to me as we came off the field 'You should savour this because you've played England once and won once.' He'd played against England every year since '93 and never won before.

KF It was four out of four for the family with your late uncle Dunc having won three out of three.

AN I think I'd played England 12 times at different age groups and had one draw . . . and that was in the mud, which was a common theme.

KF Yeah, Scotland needed to get them in the rain in those days, but it's been different recently.

CP Well, it's 2004 since they won at Murrayfield. Eight years ago now. I remember 2006 was similar to 2000 when I think they were a good side. In 2008 the game never really got started and 2010 was a draw.

KF From your point of view as a young player back in 2000, England were the team, they were the top team in the Six Nations. Now that's completely changed, hasn't it? Now you can't pick a favourite in this Six Nations but England probably wouldn't be it.

CP Well, you look at the European Cup, with five of the quarter-finalists coming from the RaboDirect Pro12. From that perspective, the Celtic nations are strong, but the English league's very strong and England will have a quality, quality side with an outstanding set of players. They'll be motivated and hungry, but they won't have Murrayfield experience. That's what Ian McGeechan said to us before the game in 2000. For all their quality, they didn't have much Murrayfield experience and it almost rings true again. But whatever side England pick, they will have a quality side.

KF Of course you're right about that, but is it not about time that we reassessed this a little bit. I'm looking at the Heineken Cup and over a period of years; we automatically say England's Aviva Premiership is a good league but, when you look at those European results, is it that big a surprise that they are not performing consistently well at Test level? You've both played for clubs down there, but how good is it compared with the Pro12, because they're not producing at club level and their international team is not what it was.

AN I think there's been a huge change in mindset over that period of time, looking back to 2000. We just saw Edinburgh come on the pitch looking as if they expected to beat a good English side, and they've done them back to back. After such a dominant performance by them against London Irish, and you saw what Ulster did to Leicester, what Munster did to Northampton and I agree, we talk up the English league because of the intensity they play at and the size of crowds they get.

They've really marketed the product and they've done it well on the back of a huge success at the World Cup in 2003 but, over the last few years, where England were intimidating – and it was almost the names that were as intimidating as the physical presence – it's changed, because Scottish players have now played them so often in different guises.

We've got more players playing down there too, which I've always said was important. Kelly Brown is at the best club in England and he knows he can stand toe to toe with them, he's such an important player for Saracens. So that fear factor we had is diminishing, I think.

However, that is what worries me about England in this championship, because I think they are going to be as hungry an England team as I can remember, with young guys being given a chance to go out and play international rugby.