The odds have been stacked against Williams since his surprise appointment on June 4, 2003, was heralded as a new exciting era.

Berti Vogts discovered just how hard it was to lift the Scotland football side out of the doldrums and just how impatient the circling press vultures and Tartan Army were.

The German was eventually sacked after a turbulent two and a half year spell in charge.

There have been exceptions to the foreigner rule. Dick Advocaat, Wim Jansen and Ivan Golac won trophies for Rangers, Celtic and Dundee United respectively but then either left or were hounded out in controversy.

Public sympathy often followed these departures and Vogts, who won the European Championships as German boss, was in a no-win situation because of the declining quality of the international players available.

But arguably Australian Williams, drafted in to rescue Scottish rugby, has the toughest task of all.

Predecessor Ian McGeechan illustrated just how difficult the national job was when he departed his role in 2003 stating: The last four years have left me a bit frustrated.

But Williams is single-minded in his ambitions and he is not afraid to give youth their chance.

Results, however, can save or cost you your job and it is fair to say that for all his restrictions and difficulties, he has failed to record too many pleasing victories.

Scotlands RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign in 2004 was a nightmare which ended with a whitewash and wooden spoon.

Williams promised improvement in the autumn Tests and a 100-8 triumph over Japan and spirited performances in two defeats to World Cup runners-up Australia certainly improved his cv.

But they threw away what little progress they had been making with their final mauling at the hands of South Africa.

That makes this RBS 6 Nations campaign vital to his hopes of seeing his blueprint through as coach and what better way to start than a daunting trip to France on Saturday.