SCOTLAND must target at least three victories in the 2012 RBS Six Nations Championship – starting with England on Saturday at Murrayfield.

That was the no-nonsense verdict delivered today by rugby legend Scott Hastings.

And he urged Andy Robinson's men to make home advantage count when England and France – the championship's last two winners – come to Edinburgh.

Hastings said: "There was a great deal of optimism surrounding Scotland going into last year's Six Nations and it didn't materialise. But international rugby is a results-driven business, so there is real pressure on the Scots to produce this time around.

"We have a great advantage with both England in the opener and then France, the World Cup finalists, providing the other home game and Italy one of the away fixtures.

"So I would say we need a minimum requirement to win the two home games and hopefully take out Italy in Rome.

"That is obviously going to be a big ask, but what Scotland have is real continuity from the World Cup and an awareness of what they need to do to get the results we require.

"The margins between success and failure in New Zealand were so slim and it all came down to the odd error and a lack of ruthlessness in the opposition 22.

"I believe we can sort all of that and make an impression on this season's Six Nations. But momentum is everything in international rugby so it goes without saying this is a crucial opening match."

Edinburgh hooker Ross Ford has been named Scotland skipper at the expense of Glasgow captain Al Kellock, who led the Scots at the World Cup.

And Hastings is also surprised Kellock's second row partnership with Richie Gray has been broken up with Gloucester lock Jim Hamilton inserted.

But he still believes the Gray/Kellock axis will be crucial to our hopes of a successful Six Nations.

The Scotland hero said: "I think there are several Glasgow players from whom Scotland need very big contributions.

"It is a surprise that Jim Hamilton has been preferred to Al Kellock. Al was outstanding against Leinster in the Heineken Cup recently.

"And Gray has been carrying ball well for Glasgow. I would still anticipate they will play together during the championship, despite Kellock's omission from the starting XV.

"Chris Cusiter has come back to form at exactly the right time at scrum-half and although John Barclay is on the bench we will definitely need his ball-winning skills at the breakdown."

Hastings, who played a pivotal part in securing perhaps the most famous victory over the Auld Enemy in the Grand Slam clincher of 1990, has no doubt about the importance of beating a new-look England.

He said: "If we can win, we will get a massive shot of belief to take to Wales in the next game. Beating the English at home to claim the Calcutta Cup would be a massive step towards a successful Six Nations."