Vern Cotter aims to go out on a high

Vern Cotter’s path as Scotland head coach has not always been smooth but the Kiwi will hope he can bow out this summer having steered the Dark Blues down the road to lasting success.

The 54-year-old is gearing up for his final RBS 6 Nations campaign after Scottish Rugby took the unilateral decision to replace him with Glasgow boss Gregor Townsend when his contract expires later this year.

He feels that was harsh, especially given the strides his team have taken since he took up the job in May 2014.

From suffering a whitewash during his first Six Nations campaign in charge, the Scots have grown into an exciting side packed with attacking intent and backed up by an ever-deepening pool of talent.

Their run to the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals - where only a controversial defeat to Australia halted progress - has been the clear highlight of the Cotter reign so far.

Yet he will also have to admit that just two wins from 10 games in the Six Nations has hardly persuaded Murrayfield chiefs he is irreplaceable.

Cotter now has five matches left to write his final Scotland chapter and shape his legacy.

But do not expect a man whose quiet reserve earned him the nickname ‘Stern Vern’ to volunteer his own eulogy once the campaign is complete. Instead, it will be left to his players to describe the impact he has made.

And for the likes of Stuart Hogg, the summary will be glowingly positive no matter what happens. He said: “Vern has worked wonders for Scotland and this campaign is very much about us looking to send him off with some victories.

“He’s put a huge amount of effort into this country and it would be a good way to thank him for all the work he’s done for us by getting some wins.”

A title tilt still looks to be beyond the Scots but claiming three victories for the first time since the 2006 edition seems a reasonable feat.

Three home games should boost their chances of achieving that, especially as they take on Ireland first up in Edinburgh on February 4. In both of their previous two campaigns, the Scots - battered and bruised - have come up against Joe Schmidt’s title-chasing outfit on the final day, only to find themselves swatted aside.

But this time they will be fresh - and buoyed by the inclusion of 16 Glasgow players who made history last weekend by marching Warriors into the quarter- finals of the Champions Cup for the first time. “Confidence in the camp is at an all-time high,” Hogg said. “We’re coming off the back of a decent Six Nations last year and an autumn series where we came close to winning three out of three.

“And there’s now a fair amount of boys coming in with good form for their club sides. Here’s hoping we can continue that in a Scotland jersey.”

The progress Scotland have made can be quantified by the number of players being tipped for a British and Irish Lions call-up later this year.

The Gray brothers Jonny and Richie are in with a shout for the second-rows, Finn Russell could be a wildcard pick at fly-half while full-back Hogg is a certainty to travel. Centres Mark Bennett, Alex Dunbar and wing Tommy Seymour have also been mentioned in despatches.

Prop WP Nel would be another credible candidate had he not been ruled out for the foreseeable with a neck injury. But even his loss has been softened by the emergence of 20-year-old prospect Zander Fagerson.

“That just shows how far we have come,” said Hogg. “It would be great if we could get a few guys on that plane to New Zealand in the summer.

“There’s a lot of rugby to be played but there is definitely a good number of Scottish guys who will be putting their hands up at the end, that’s for sure.”