the setting could not have been more apt as Scott Johnson made his first public appearance since taking the most challenging role of his career, as the Scottish Rugby Union's director of rugby.

The venue was Scotstoun Stadium, a municipally owned facility in the heart of the country's biggest city from which, in the 142 years international rugby has been played, no state schoolboy has ever represented the Scotland team.

The gathering took place the day after Scotland had been knocked out of the top 12 in the IRB Sevens World rankings, the USA celebrating having claimed the last of the automatic places on next year's circuit. Largely because of the damage done under a big-name, imported coach who was appointed last summer only to rapidly depart after a string of shocking results, Scotland are now struggling to have a place on the IRB Sevens circuit in the very year it is preparing to host the Commonwealth Games in this same city.

That tendency to favour imported coaching expertise was further exemplified by Johnson's appointment and the presence, alongside him, of Welshman Jonathan Humphreys, who was appointed last week as Scotland's forwards coach.

Two days after Humphreys had been given that job Gregor Townsend, head coach of Glasgow Warriors, had, at this very same Scotstoun complex, contended that part of the reason Scotland are, in his view, under-represented on the forthcoming British & Irish Lions tour, is because no Scots are involved in the coaching team.

The reality, however, is that even fewer Scottish coaches than Scottish players have made any sort of case for involvement.

Yesterday's gathering was also poignant since the last time Mark Dodson, the SRU chief executive who was the third person at the top table, attended a similar press conference at Scotstoun was to explain why the one Scottish coach to boast a winning record in the professional era had been removed from his post.

It was ironic, too, that yesterday's audience contained John Jeffrey, now the SRU's representative on the International Rugby Board, but a scathing critic of the organisation for appointing Ian McGeechan as national director of rugby a decade ago without advertising the post.

That has been repeated this time around, with Dodson dismissing questioning of the failure to do so on the basis that it would have been impossible to find a better-qualified candidate. Given that there remains widespread scepticism about Johnson's credentials in many quarters that is quite a claim. However, Humphreys' presence yesterday went a way towards addressing some perceptions about the new director of rugby's standing in the sport.

Johnson is very much a Marmite figure within Welsh rugby, after his involvement with the national team and the Ospreys during volatile times with both. That the former Wales captain again wants to work with him is itself a vote of confidence. Humphreys, who is showing his own commitment to his new job by moving his wife and three children to Scotland as he begins his two-year contract, also took the chance to give his insight into events at the Ospreys last year.

The club appeared to be in some disarray when Johnson left them in mid-season before recovering immediately after he departed to go on a winning run that took them to the RaboDirect Pro12 title.

However, Humphreys explained that financial problems within the organisation had led to the Australian being forced into tough decisions and he believes it was a measure of Johnson's integrity that he fronted up to players, albeit that had a temporarily demoralising effect on some of those involved. "I think you can tell a great deal about someone from what happens immediately after they leave an organisation," said Humphreys. "All of the Ospreys coaches contacted Scott after we won the title in Dublin to thank him for what he had done because we had benefited from the things he had set up.

"I worked with him as a player and then when he came to the Ospreys as a coach. I learned so much and loved my time with him, and to come and work with him was one of the factors in coming to Scottish rugby.

"For me, it was the vision that was sold to me, not just of being involved in international rugby and coaching international rugby, which is a very privileged position to be in, but also to work throughout Scottish rugby, not just in the academies but in all aspects.

"That really does interest me. A huge part of my role at the Ospreys was to develop talent and I made a lot of mistakes, but we also managed to get some good products from that. To go out there and be involved in all aspects appeals to me and the cream would be to coach a team that has enormous potential."

Humphreys also confirmed that he knew who was likely to be appointed Scotland head coach when he agreed to join the team management.

"The calibre of the coaches they have been talking to is fantastic. For me the person they have been talking to was one of the considerations in coming here," he said.