THERE is not a lot one can say about the squad which Andy Robinson has announced for the first two Six Nations matches - other than to (again) speculate as to what Johnnie Beattie has done to move so-far out of the international picture. To me the younger Beattie is the personification of that old adage about form being temporary, whilst class is permanent. I fear he might, like his father before him, finally retire without nearly as many caps as his talent deserved - without his father's excuses of severe injury and the emergence of Iain Paxton, a player every bit as talented.

I do, however, feel that Robinson has been over-loyal to one or two players who are if not past their sell-by date, at least on their "best before" limit. Simon Danielli, for instance, has to my mind seldom done his talent justice in a full Scotland jersey; his place might have gone to another, younger back.

Why is Dan Parks still there? He is 33-years-old now, I would rank him behind Jackson, Weir and Laidlaw when it comes to the number ten shirt - so, why, for all the points he has scored for Scotland, is he still being picked?

Up front, we must continue to pray for the on-going good health of the mighty 'Chunk', because, for all his running ability with ball in hand, Alasdair Dickinson, to my mind, isn't an international-class scrummager. Better I feel to promote either or Jon Welsh or Kyle Traynor, both of whom are younger, as back-up to 'Chunk' and give them game time in the final quarter to pick-up experience.

Ross Ford is so-comfortably ensconsed as our first-choice hooker than, it really is time we looked beyond him. The two back-up hookers will not improve, a chance to get a younger hooker - somebody like Glasgow's Pat McArthur in, as third-choice, has been missed. These points apart, as I have said, I don't see much wrong with the squad.

We now have to look at another point, the captaincy. I must admit to being an Al Kellock fan, but, the fact he isn't an automatic first point is seen by some as a problem. Well, what's wrong with having Big Al as the squad captain and, should he not be on from the start, the captaincy - how I hate that footballing affixation beloved of our younger rugby writers: "the arm band" - should maybe go to whoever is our starting scrum half, since whichever one of Blair, Cusiter, Laidlaw or Lawson wears nine will be well-nigh running things anyway.

If we have to go for an automatic pick, then it has to be either Kelly Brown or John Barclay - although, given Ross Rennie's RWC performances Barclay's place is apparently no longer set in stone, with Ross Ford as the outsider.

I am looking forward to the 2012 Six Nations. I honestly believe we can make a winning start against what I feel will be a new-look and hesitant England and if we can kick-on from there, who knows. Celebrating a Grand Slam in Rome would be a spring treat to remember.