He may be playing in a struggling side, but Mike Blair, the Scotland captain, is a serious contender to take the same role with next year's Lions team when they travel to South Africa, says Andy Irvine, the organising group's chairman. While admitting that the player will face formidable competition, Irvine believes that Blair, last month shortlisted for the International Rugby Board's player of the year award, has what it takes to lead the British Isles party.

“He is obviously in serious contention, I thought he had a very good game on Saturday, led the team very well,” Irvine, the Lions chairman, said at the Scottish launch of the team's new shirt at Edinburgh Castle yesterday. “He is very quick, he is brave, he is tenacious, he is good thinker.

“I am sure he will figure somewhere in their plans but there is a lot of competition. That is the problem, you can be playing very well but it is a question of whether you are playing better than people in the same position in other countries and I would say that scrum half is one of the most open positions of the tour.”

All of which makes it even more important for Blair and the rest of the Lions hopefuls in the Scotland squad that they should find a way of breaking the try drought that saw them fail to score at home in the last RBS Six Nations Championship and throw away at least four clear-cut chances last weekend against New Zealand.

The hardest task of all is to try to make the Lions squad from a losing side, and as things stand, Irvine could see next year's Scottish representation not much more than the three who travelled in 2005, albeit in a much smaller touring party.

“It is difficult for me to comment because it is obviously Ian McGeechan's responsibility,” Irvine said. “But looking at last Saturday, there would be three or four who acquitted themselves very well and would be in serious contention. This Saturday is going to be very important too, probably more so than last weekend since it is South Africa they are facing. Then there is also the Six Nations as well, there is a long way to go.”

His view was supported by Gavin Hastings, the last Scot to captain the Lions. “If you were to put a tick beside the players who did well against the All Blacks, you would put one beside Mike Blair, beside Euan Murray and beside Jim Hamilton. That is probably where you might draw the line after last week's performance,” he said “What you want to do is put a tick beside a few players this time out against South Africa. It is up to the players, to the team, to perform. If the team performs, then it is a darn sight easier to play well and shine compared to when the team is struggling.”

All of which comes as a reminder to the leading Scots that if they needed an extra nudge ahead of this game, which is also important for the country's prospects at the next World Cup, then the Lions certainly provide it.