Scotland 'look good for World Cup', says Al Kellock

Al Kellock lifted the Pro12 trophy for Glasgow

Retiring Glasgow Warriors captain Al Kellock thinks his side winning the Pro12 title will ensure that Scotland enjoy a successful Rugby World Cup.

"I think Scotland are in a great place," he told BBC Scotland.

"From a Glasgow perspective, with 22 players going into the squad after winning the Pro12, the confidence they will have got will be huge.

"That's true of the Saracens guys who are coming in - Duncan Taylor and Jim Hamilton. They will be feeling good."

The London club won the Aviva Premiership final this season and reached the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup.

While Scotland finished bottom of the Six Nations table after losing all five games, Edinburgh progressed to the final of the European Challenge Cup.

"We've got to look at what went badly and fix that to go anywhere in this World Cup but also to take confidence not only from what the clubs have done - Edinburgh reaching a European final and Glasgow winning the Pro12 - but also what people have done in a Scotland shirt," said Kellock.

"Finn Russell has stepped up and looks like he's going to have a fantastic career in a Scotland shirt and he's got a big World Cup ahead of him.

"If you look at the Six Nations, there were spells in those games when Scotland were exceptional, not just good.

Glasgow fly-half Finn Russell (right) was picked out for special praise by Kellock

"When you look at the squad as a whole, it is a great squad. It is the most competitive squad since I've been playing."

Scotland are in the same World Cup group as South Africa, Samoa, Japan and United States.

"I honestly believe we will have a good time in the group stages and then in the knock out stages we have shown throughout the years that, on our day, we are good enough to compete and beat anybody," said Kellock.

"Initially it is about confidence and about the boys looking back at what they've done over the last few years and knowing that's got them to a place that's good enough to win something."

Kellock is also enthusiastic about the prospects for England, Ireland and Wales.

"From a home nations point of view, it's going to be the best," he said. "It is going to be huge.

"The standard of rugby we will see will be top class, every home nation is going in in a good place, they should be confident with what they can do.

"The fact we are in Newcastle, only two hours down from Edinburgh and the amount of fans we can take down there will be great.

"It will be like playing at home when we play those Newcastle games and it will give everyone a lift."