Blair looks to force an opening in the All Blacks' defence during their clash at Murrayfield © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Mike Blair

Teams: Scotland

Mike Blair has urged Scotland to unleash their ruthless streak in Saturday's final autumn international against Canada.

Captain Blair will lead out a side in Aberdeen still smarting from back-to-back defeats against the two best countries in the world. Scotland have an opportunity to end 2008 on a high and perhaps preserve their status as second seeds for the next World Cup against the side ranked 15th by the International Rugby Board.

After being cast as the underdogs in the last fortnight, Blair wants to take full advantage of the favourites' tag this weekend. "In the games against New Zealand and South Africa, we talked a lot about dominating the breakdown and collisions,'' said the scrum-half, whose side also need Ireland to lose to Argentina to avoid a nightmare pool at the 2011 World Cup.

"I think it is an opportunity to show that we can dominate an opposition and see what happens on the back of that, as opposed to always talking about what the opposition can do. We've got to have a kind of ruthless edge and show what we can do."

Head coach Frank Hadden revealed the squad indulged in a forthright exchange of views in the wake of Saturday's defeat to the Springboks but Blair insisted there were no angry words. "It was more frustration that it was an opportunity that we could have and should have taken," he said.

Despite feeling the effects of two severe physical encounters at Murrayfield in the last week and a half, Scotland will be expected to take out that frustration on Canada. Blair, 27, vowed there would be no dip in intensity at Pittodrie, saying: "There's no reason why we shouldn't be as intense in this game as we have been in the first two games. I don't think it's going to be an issue. For us, it's about setting the standards for the game, setting our own standards and living up to them."

Saturday's fixture has triggered vivid memories for the 27-year-old Edinburgh skipper, who made a try-scoring debut when the sides last met six years ago. Although it was a personal triumph, the same could not be said about the team, who slumped to a 26-23 defeat just outside Vancouver.

"It was a funny sort of debut because it was in Canada in front of a couple of thousand people," said Blair who will make his 53rd Scotland appearance on Saturday. "When you're growing up and you're thinking of getting your first cap, you have images of running out at Murrayfield in front of a packed crowd, scoring a try and winning the match.

"I was obviously amazingly proud to get my first cap but we lost the game and there were mixed emotions after that one."

One trip Blair did enjoy was his last visit to Pittodrie three years ago, when Scotland crushed the Barbarians in Hadden's first game in charge. "I remember it being a really welcoming crowd - they really got behind us early on," Blair said.

"It was a game we weren't necessarily expected to win but we played some really good stuff. So we've got good memories of it and I understand ticket sales have been going reasonably well. I think we're up to 16,500 in a 20,000 capacity. Hopefully, by the time kick-off comes, we'll have a pretty much full stadium to play in front of."