Small steps leading to Scottish leap for Vern Cotter

It might seem a little strange for a coach with just a 20% win record in the Six Nations to be lauded quite as much as Vern Cotter has in Scotland these last few months.

Yet Scottish rugby folk feel that Cotter has played no small part in enabling them to foresee a bright future for their underperforming team.

The 53-year-old New Zealander will bow out as head coach at the end of his third Six Nations campaign next month, making way for Glasgow’s Gregor Townsend as the departing boss returns to the French Top14 and the top job at Montpellier.