KEY POINTS:
Gavin Hastings isn't saying Scotland will beat the All Blacks. But he thinks they might and he wants them to attack with vigour and enterprise.
Hastings has always had this infectious optimism. He's one of those rare people around whom things just happen. That was the case throughout his 61-cap Scotland career between 1986 and 1995. He had what the modern game loves to call the X-factor.
Many of the opportunities he created were the result of a sense of timing and brute strength. But relentless
mental energy also had a bearing on making him the player he was.
For Hastings, there were never any negatives on which to dwell. Scotland have never beaten the All Blacks. History is so heavily stacked against the men in blue but, every time Hastings played the All Blacks, he believed Scotland were going to break the curse.
In 1990, they came so close in the second test at Eden Park. They had the All Blacks on the ropes and only a fortuitous refereeing decision saved the home side that day. The final score was 21-18 and but for some luck, a random bounce of the ball or just one more piece of individual brilliance, Scotland might just have done it.
Hastings played in an era when Scotland punched above their weight. They were limited in terms of ability in their backs _ Hastings exempted _ but they could always be relied on to put a competitive pack on the field; one which would throw the kitchen sink at every side for 80 minutes.
It is because Hastings comes from that era that he was left bemused and disappointed by the decision of coach Frank Hadden at the World Cup last year to play a second team against the All Blacks in the pool rounds.
"I was very disappointed in the selection that Frank made," says Hastings, now chairman of Edinburgh Rugby as well as being a rugby ambassador for HSBC.
"I made my feelings clear on that. I think it devalued the Scotland jersey. I listened to his [Hadden's] reasons for doing that but I didn't agree with them. He's the man in charge and he makes those decisions.
"I don't want to labour the point but for people like myself who wore the Scotland jersey and valued that contribution and took it very seriously, I think it was the wrong decision."
He brings it up not as a means to gripe about events past but to suggest that Scotland have the perfect opportunity this week to make amends.
Those Scots players contracted to Edinburgh and Glasgow have spent the better part of the last week warm-weather training in Spain. That should have given them the mental release they need to prepare for a massive November series where they are desperate to climb the IRB rankings to avoid being dumped in a 2011 World Cup pool with two heavyweights.
There are two other major incentives for the Scots. They finished their season in June with a convincing and at times inspiring win against the
Pumas in Argentina.
It was an old-fashioned performance where the forwards rolled up their sleeves and went ballistic for the first half hour. The challenge against the All Blacks is to retain that forward intensity and then find a clear direction on how they want to play the game in the backs.
"I think they have really struggled to have a game plan over the last few years," says Hastings. "They have tried to play a kicking game but I'm not sure that is so easy under the ELVs.
"My hope is that they just go out there and have a go. In 2005, Sean Lamont made a brilliant run down the wing and that was what we all wanted to see. It would be good to see them play with a bit of courage. What have they got to lose? I think 99 per cent of the Scottish support wouldn't mind seeing them go down by 50 points by having a go rather than playing really conservatively and going down by 25."
The other motivational driver is that there is a Lions tour in 2009. Scotland have not had a great representation on the last two tours and Hastings says unless the players front next week, that will not change.
"It starts on Saturday week and the players know that unless they perform as a team, it is going to be like it was three years ago because they won't be deserving of selection.
"The Magners League is not going to count for anything _ it is going to be test matches and Heineken Cup and the selectors will discount Scotland's game against Canada.
"They are only going to have two tests against New Zealand and South Africa so if you want to be on tour, you had better start against the All Blacks and go from there."
In typical Hastings fashion, he's finding extra positives upon which to draw. His optimism finds a toehold and then he works it to the point where anyone listening starts to feel it really is possible Scotland could win.
"It might be the best thing that we have not had a game and have had two weeks of training," says Hastings of Scotland's preparation. "Hopefully they can go in as fresh as a modern player can be and give it absolute laldy. Nothing would give me greater pleasure to see our guys get absolutely stuck into the All Blacks in the first 20 minutes.
"You know, they have to travel from Hong Kong so let's bring it and hope Scotland have a game plan that allows them to go into the last 20 minutes with a chance.
"I always want to see that _ if you are going into the final quarter with 10 points in it, then you are always a chance. If you are 40-0 down at half-time, then you are just not going to win the game. I am being upbeat as I normally am.
"No-one will ever criticise Scotland for being as good as they could possibly be and for putting in some tackles and being courageous. Not kicking the ball down the field without a plan _ as that is not acceptable."
