The next stage in Scotland’s post-World Cup evolution begins today when Frank Hadden announces the training squad that will gather next week to prepare for this season’s RBS Six Nations Championship. The trick he has to get right is balancing current form against experience and continuity.

The coach has no need to change a thing from the autumn when Scotland matched their seeding in reaching the quarter-finals, since the only player involved in that campaign who is not available is Sean Lamont, the Northampton wing, who tore cruciate ligaments in his knee and is out for the season. His absence simplifies things for Hadden, who would have had a tricky decision to make had he been fit to compete with his brother Rory Lamont, who is playing out of his skin on the wing at Sale Sharks - the position that Hadden believes suits him best - Chris Paterson and Simon Webster.

The other player likely to miss the start of the campaign is Simon Taylor, the No 8 who has torn ligaments in his hand. Although he should be back by the middle of the month, he is unlikely to be available to take on France in Scotland’s opening match on February 3 at Murrayfield. Not that it makes life a lot easier for the coaches who still have more back-row talent than they can fit into the team.

They have to find a place for John Barclay, the Glasgow specialist open side, and with Jason White certain of his place on the other flank, that leaves Allister Hogg, Kelly Brown, Johnnie Beattie all competing for the No 8 berth while a player such as Alasdair Strokosch, the Guinness Premiership player of the month for December who represents Gloucester, should make the training party but will struggle to make any matchday 22 next month.

Today’s announcement should complete the rehabilitation of Phil Godman, who missed out on the World Cup but had the strength of personality to go back to Edinburgh and work on all the things that cost him a place on the aircraft to France so successfully that if places were to be decided on performances over the last fortnight, he would be edging in ahead of Dan Parks.

“The last few matches we have controlled the game,” Godman said. “It is good to know that you have that in your armoury.

“You have to have the whole bag if you want to be a top class No 10, which is what I do want to be. I suppose the Six Nations is there at the back of my mind somewhere, but to be honest I am just enjoying playing with Edinburgh so much at the moment and with the likes of David Blair putting pressure on me for my place, I am having to go out and play well every week. If I can do that I will see what comes from there.”

His resurgence has also drawn praise from Andy Robinson, the Edinburgh coach, who says he is delighted with the way Godman responded to being dropped by club and country earlier in the season.

“All you can ask is that he should work hard on his game and improve his performances each week,” Robinson said. “It is not for me to judge whether he should play for Scotland, all I can ask of any player is that he should keep improving and Phil Godman is certainly doing that.”

Others likely to stake a claim for places against France include Nick De Luca at outside centre, a position where Scotland have been struggling, and Fergus Thomson, the hooker who was a late addition to the World Cup training group when Dougie Hall damaged his knee and has taken full advantage with some storming performances for Glasgow.