Scotland v Samoa: Gavin Hastings 'excited' by Gregor Townsend's Scots

Gregor Townsend takes charge of his first home match as Scotland head coach on Saturday

Former Scotland full-back Gavin Hastings is "excited" to see how the side develop under Gregor Townsend.

Townsend, 44, replaced Vern Cotter as head coach earlier this year and oversaw two wins from Scotland's summer tour.

The Scots face Samoa on Saturday in the autumn series opener.

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"Gregor's already proved with a victory over Australia in the summer that he's ambitious but he's also inventive and very attack-oriented," said Hastings.

"That in itself is exciting for past players like me and the game has just moved on to incredible heights from where it once was and the skill level that these players have now is way beyond anything that we ever had so I'm excited to see the Scotland team in action tomorrow."

Hastings and Townsend playing for Scotland against France in 1995

Samoan rugby has been declared "bankrupt" by their prime minister.

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"I think Samoan rugby players or Samoan people in general, they were put on this planet to play rugby," Hastings told BBC Radio Scotland.

"Their physique is just unbelievable and I've watched a lot of sevens rugby in the international sevens series over the last decade at least and the Samoan sevens side have been absolutely brilliant in that time as well.

"So, they have such a natural flair and passion for the game and it is ridiculous in a way to think Samoan rugby is on the verge of bankruptcy or whatever because there's so many players plying their trade away from the country."

After Samoa's visit to Murrayfield, New Zealand and Australia will also take on Townsend's Scotland in Edinburgh.

The stadium has recently been used to host football matches while Hearts needed an alternative venue to the redeveloped Tynecastle.

And the Scottish Football Association board will next month consider the continued use of Hampden for football internationals and cup semi-finals and finals, with Murrayfield an alternative option from 2020.

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"Obviously Hearts have played there in recent weeks and I've seen football there before and there's no doubt that it's a magnificent stadium," said Hastings, who won 61 Scotland caps.

"I think the Hearts players were absolutely revelling in the condition of the pitch.

"In modern day professional sport and these massive stadiums, they need to be used for perhaps more than one sport and obviously Edinburgh Rugby have played at Murrayfield for many a season now and it used to be the day that Murrayfield was reserved exclusively for the Scottish rugby team but I think these days are long in the past.

"If the authorities feel that it's right to play the odd game there then I'd be very supportive of that as well because it's wonderful to see the stadium full, as it will be for these autumn Tests."