Greig Laidlaw believes Vern Cotter will be desperate to leave his Scotland post on a high after the 2017 RBS 6 Nations.
Cotter will leave once his contract finishes at the end of this season, with former fly-half Gregor Townsend his replacement.
Scrum-half Laidlaw has become Scotland’s most-capped captain under Cotter’s guidance and earned a world player of the year nomination for his World Cup form.
And Laidlaw has made no secret of his gratitude to Cotter for turning Scottish fortunes around, including a first win over France in a decade during the 2016 RBS 6 Nations and a World Cup quarter-final.
“What Vern has done is improve this team and move it forward, the players who are in that team now really understand what it means to play in that jersey,” the 30-year-old Gloucester half-back said.
“We want to win as many games as we can. Vern is moving on after the RBS 6 Nations and knowing him he will want to win as many games as he can.
“He is not the type of person to just play his last games and just go away, up until that last minute he will expect the highest standards – that is the mark of the man.
“As a player group and as his captain, we will be doing everything within our powers to give him the best possible send off before he leaves.”
Townsend comes in having guided Glasgow Warriors to a maiden Guinness PRO12 title, but Laidlaw has heaped praise on the development achieved by New Zealander Cotter.
“He has brought forward the on-field stuff, his knowledge of the game is unbelievable – he has helped loads of players, he has helped me personally and he has helped loads of the young players with their confidence,” he said.
“He is the type of coach who gets you up for games and you wan’t to win for him, he will leave the country in good stead.”
