Scotland struggled to reach the World Cup quarter-finals and have since lost five players to international retirement including former captain and scrum-half Bryan Redpath, fly-half Gregor Townsend and wing Kenny Logan.

But Williams, who took over from Ian McGeechan, is heartened by the young players coming through the ranks. "We've got some really exciting young players - Nikki Walker (wing), Graeme Morrison (centre) and Chris Cusiter (scrum-half).

"The trick is that you don't want to throw a young man in and burn him so he loses his confidence but he has to be blooded."

Williams pleaded for patience on their behalf, saying his team should not be judged on results alone.

"We need to make sure we put a process in place so that these young guys can succeed. Success for them might not necessarily be always scoring more points than the opposition.

"We always want to win but we want these young guys to focus on processes," Williams, the former coach of Irish province Leinster, added.

"We've got a very experienced forward pack that can cope with any international team. We've got to build our game around those guys and bring these young guys through," explained Williams, of a pack where back-row Simon Taylor has been consistently impressive.

And in a sign of his distinctive approach to the job, Williams said stand-off Paterson is set to share the captaincy with experienced hooker Gordon Bulloch.

Scotland open their campaign away to Wales on Saturday, February 14th, a match both sides will believe they can win.

But six days later comes the match all Scottish rugby fans relish more than any other when world champions England arrive at Murrayfield for the latest instalment of rugby union's oldest international fixture which dates back to 1871.

Already some supporters are trying to draw parallels between now and 1967, when Scotland defeated then world soccer champions England who had won the World Cup the year before.

That match took place at Wembley but Scotland have the advantage of facing England - who could be without injured fly-half Jonny Wilkinson - at Murrayfield. "The great days are when you take on great teams and beat them... that's what you remember for the rest of your life," added Williams.

If they do just that against England, any mutterings about Williams, the first foreigner to coach Scotland, will soon disappear.