HAVING played scrum-half and captained Scotland himself in the past, Gary Armstrong is wary about current No.9 Greig Laidlaw taking on too much responsibility during the Rugby World Cup later in the year.
Armstrong, now 48, played in two World Cups for Scotland in 1991 and 1999 and would have been involved in 1995 had it not been for a knee injury.
He is a big fan of Laidlaw, a Jed man like himself, but wants head coach Vern Cotter to make sure that he is not inhibited by too many duties and, as such, ends up not playing his natural game.
Laidlaw, 29, was captain during the Autumn Tests and the Six Nations and is also the goal kicker.
"I think being captain for Greig is a big ask. As a nine, you are busy trying to run the game while he is also the goal kicker, so it is a lot of pressure on his shoulders," Armstrong stated.
"I still think Greig is the first-choice nine though because he is a cracking player and he got the better of Sam [Hidalgo-Clyne] in the Gloucester-Edinburgh European final and he proved a point that night.
"Greig has shown on the big stage that he can do the job and Scotland will rely on him and Finn Russell as the half-backs.
"I think Russell has been a great find and he has been in superb form for Glasgow too."
Meanwhile, Armstrong is not a big fan of 'project signings' and players earning Scotland caps after living here for three years.
Tim Visser has already become a Scotland regular via that route and WP Nel, Josh Strauss and Mike Cusack could all join him in the Test team soon.
Armstrong said: "I am a bit old fashioned, I don't think this residency thing should count at all, but we have to move with the times and other teams are doing it.
"I personally would like to see true Scottish passion and a bit of 'blood and snotter' throughout the squad to be quite honest."
A number of former players and pundits have raised concerns about the length of time the Scotland squad will be together for before the World Cup.
They meet on Monday and will be 'in camp' for the majority of the time until four warm-up matches begin on August 15 and then onwards into the main event.
However, Armstrong believes the long summer will help raise standards.
The man who earned 51 caps for his country said: "The World Cup is a special thing because you actually get to train a lot more together than you do during the Six Nations.
"If you are in a training camp and there is a bit of competition from other guys in your position then that is what you need.
"We have struggled in the past for strength in depth, but that is starting to come and the more these guys test and push each other in the next couple of months the better."
As for how Scotland will do in Pool B featuring South Africa, Samoa, USA and Japan, Armstrong is not negative, but he feels reaching the last eight would be a pretty good achievement.
"Scotland at the minute, well in the Autumn Tests we showed a bit of promise, but in the Six Nations we went back to square one and we struggled a bit.
"I think it is going to be a tough job at the World Cup and we are in a tricky group, but the event only comes around every four years and I think the guys will meet up for their training camp and will be really focused on what they have to do."
Meanwhile, Armstrong's former international team-mate Finlay Calder feels that Kelly Brown, the former Scotland captain who has been frozen out by Cotter, has been harshly dealt with.
Calder - who played in the 1987 and 1991 World Cups - said: "Personally I would have gone back to Kelly.
"I'd have had him in there for the big event as a sort of father figure, but it wasn't to be. I think overall he has been given a pretty rum deal and I am disappointed for him."
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