Rival scrum-halves Mike Blair and Chris Cusiter were on Monday appointed joint captains of the Scotland rugby team for their three autumn Test matches, head coach Andy Robinson announced.

Both Blair, capped 58 times, and 44-times capped Cusiter are captain of their respective clubs, Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors.

Robinson, a former England coach and assistant coach when they won the 2003 World Cup, said that he did not believe in the principle of one captain for a team.

"Leadership is not about one person, it is about developing a number of leaders," said the former Bath and England backrow forward.

"This year we're going to have two captains, two world-class players.

"Whichever one is selected will lead the team.

"But, off the pitch, the two will lead the team together."

Blair, 28, replaced Jason White as Scotland captain for the 2008 Six Nations match against Ireland while 27-year-old Cusiter has returned to Scottish club rugby after playing for French champions Perpignan.

Scotland play Fiji at Murrayfield on November 14, then play Australia a week later and round off their autumn campaign against World Cup semi-finalists Argentina on November 28.

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