John Barclay: Adam Hastings can shine for Scotland after Finn Russell distraction

Wouldn't it be nice to be talking about rugby? And the fact that we're not makes the events of the last week such a frustration.

After the disappointment of the World Cup, we should all be focused on Scotland's Six Nations opener against Ireland, and nothing but that. Sadly, this has not been the case. All we can do is wait and hope that a solution to Finn Russell's departure from the squad is reached - quickly.

I feel for Stuart Hogg. As a new captain and settling into the role, he doesn't need to be distracted by something like this. This is a new Scotland squad, make no bones about it. New coaches, new players, a changing of the guard and an opportunity for Hoggy to really stamp his mark on this group, and the leadership within it.

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Having to deal with adversity can bring a group closer. Let's hope it does just that as they head from their training camp in Spain to Dublin to face Ireland.

We don't know the exact nature of the conversations on that Sunday night. We don't know the words used and how they were used. The tone - we don't know. If it is what we are led to believe, then there are standards and nobody is above that. You can't have different rules for different people. Culture is everything.

Any comment on what happened is just speculation. In time hopefully the facts will come out and people will get some solid information on which to base their opinions.

'Greig was the yin to Finn's yang'

Greig Laidlaw (left) retired from international duty after the World Cup

I have a good relationship with Finn; so has Greig Laidlaw. We both captained him with Scotland and we both know the qualities he has.

Greig was like a mentor to Finn, off the field as well as on it. They were very close. I wonder if Greig had been around the hotel that night would this have got to the stage it has got to? That's not a slight on the current leadership group, more a recognition of the close relationship that Finn and Greig had, and the utmost respect Finn had for Greig. The yin to his yang.

That being said, Finn has a great relationship with Hoggy and Sean Maitland and a lot of other boys and I'm sure they were trying to get him out of the bar before it became a situation.

Your culture is your most important thing. Once it got to the point it had got to, I'm not sure what options Gregor Townsend had. Gregor more than anyone understands the value of a world class 10. What he also understands is the value of culture and setting off on the wrong foot - before a minute of rugby has been played - obviously didn't sit well.

I just wish that all of this could have been avoided. I'm speaking as a Scotland fan now. Adam Hastings is playing some audacious stuff at Glasgow. I have no doubt he will shine at this level. That is missing the point, which is you don't want a world class 10 sitting in Dubai.

There is a lot of talk of a personality clash between Gregor and Finn. I am not privy to that. What I do know is that you don't have to be best pals with your coach. Regardless of that, though, trust and respect must remain an integral part of the relationship. Scotland won two Grand Slams and a championship with Jim Telfer in charge and he wasn't exactly giving his players a cuddle every day.

There be can be differences of opinion. Everyone is there for the same reason. They're all desperate for Scotland to succeed.

'Big opportunity for Hastings'

Adam Hastings is poised to make his first Six Nations start in Dublin

Finn is a senior player now and I don't want to speculate too much on what might happen. All I can comment on is the qualities I know he possesses. Call me biased, but Finn has the ability to do things no other stand-off in world rugby can do. Scotland need his qualities.

I've been thinking about Adam and I'm sure he'll be fine with it. It's not ideal to have all this going on, but my feeling is that he will be ecstatic to be in the team for such a huge match. He'll have empathy with Finn, of course, but this is his big opportunity and he's getting it on the back of a string of excellent performances for Glasgow.

Adam has never played against Ireland and has never started a Six Nations game. He's not weighed down by all the bad results we've had on the road over the years. He's got no baggage.

He might know that we haven't won in Dublin in 10 years but I doubt that he'll care. It's nothing to do with him. Plenty of the other boys will have played in a lot of those games, though.

It's no great mystery why we did poorly at the World Cup and why we've struggled in general. Our defence was too leaky in Japan. That has to be the backbone of the team. For all the noises about all the work we were doing on defence before the World Cup, it didn't materialise, we didn't deliver as players.

Nobody wants to see Scotland playing rugby by numbers, but potentially a more pragmatic approach is what I would want. We don't have the power game of other teams. We have to play a slightly different brand of rugby because of the body shapes we have.

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You can still play expansively but it's about when you play and what positions of the field you play in. When to run, when to kick, when to be happier without the ball.

We all know Scotland can score tries, and they will, I have no doubt. But keeping an eye on the energy of the team is crucial, as a tired team is a less effective defensive unit. Play in the right areas, have a crack from anywhere, but there must be a balance to it.

I am beyond excited to watch this Scotland team evolve. And it should be evolution rather than revolution. Scotland have fantastic options in key positions and a motivated group, led by Hoggy. I'm looking forward to see him develop into the world-class leader I believe he can be.

The World Cup was crushing, the biggest anti-climax ever. We'll have to be exceptional to win in Dublin. Not because we have a poor record there, but because any team that wins there has to be exceptional.

I'd like to see us being in the hunt late on. We didn't do that in the big moments in the World Cup, the moments that counted. Test match rugby is about margins and Scotland must win these margins and win them often.

The main wish for Dublin is that with a few minutes left to play we're right in it. With or without Finn it was always going to be a big challenge - but a thrilling one.

Former Scotland captain John Barclay was talking to BBC Sport Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English.