Last summers tour to the Southern Hemisphere really encouraged me. I thought we played some really good rugby, and the win over Samoa - the first under Williams - was a tremendous fillip for everyone.

However, my optimism was dampened during the Autumn internationals, and I felt the defeat to South Africa signalled that we had in fact taken several steps backwards.

Williams will be very frustrated by the injuries to key back-row men like Donnie Macfadyen, Simon Taylor and Ali Hogg.

Those three players would have made up an extremely well balanced unit, with pace, power and good handling skills, but with all three injured we suddenly we look a little vulnerable there.

Although the likes of Jon Petrie and Jason White will be more than adequate replacements at six and eight, I think we are really struggling at openside flanker.

Despite the injuries, I am still confident that we will have a forward pack capable of winning a decent amount of possession.

Our second row pairing of Scott Murray and Stuart Grimes is tremendous. Murray in particular is an outstanding athlete and one of the most destructive line-out jumpers in world rugby.

We do not have a really destructive scrummager at tight-head, but I think overall the scrum should cope well.

Another area of concern is in the midfield, where we lack a fly-half who can really control and shape a game. I feel a little sorry for Chris Patterson, who is one of the most talented ball-players in the country.

Patterson has been moved about the back-line and is in danger of becoming a jack of all trades and master of none.

Scotland need to play him into a position where he can get his hands on the ball more than he does on the wing, with fly-half or full-back being the obvious choices.

Scotland will be looking for a confidence boosting performance when they travel to Paris for the first game. Paris is a difficult place to play at the best of times, and I would like to see Scotland go back to basics and start playing with some real passion.

If they can disrupt France from the first whistle then who knows what could happen?