Decision time for Scotland's all-time rugby greats

In the first round of the project to remember past achievements, the "Hall of Fame" panel of five-times British and Irish Lions coach Sir Ian McGeechan, his fellow British Lions and Scotland internationalists John Beattie, John Jeffrey and Chris Rea, and the doyen of Scottish rugby writers, ex-Scotsman journalist Norman Mair, drew up a shortlist of Scots who made an outstanding contribution to the oval ball game during the 1990s.

The SRU then asked the public to choose which one of the six featured here would win their vote to join another 11 inductees in being the first entrants at the inaugural gala dinner at Murrayfield on Thursday, 4 November, 2010. To vote before tonight's deadline, go to: www.scottishrugby.org

GARY ARMSTRONG

Clubs: Jed-Forest, Newcastle, Border Reivers. Scotland debut: v Australia, 19 November 1988. Caps: 51 Pts: 21

JUDGED by Jim Telfer, the former Scotland coach, as the epitome of a great Scotland player, Armstrong might not have rivalled Andy Irvine for style, but he had great qualities and his character did indeed typify the never-say-die Scottish spirit. A Borders lorry driver, Armstrong played with a grittiness, an ability to face up to the more physical, imposing and experienced performers without a backwards step and an insatiable desire to forcibly lead his team to victory.

The scrum-half came back from career-threatening knee injuries in 1992 and 1994, the latter wrecking his World Cup hopes for 1995, but was rewarded for a fine career in 1999 when he captained Scotland to the last Five Nations Championship. By then he had joined the Newcastle revolution and helped steer Rob Andrew's side to the England's Premiership and cup titles. He retired after Scotland's quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in the 1999 World Cup as the country's most-capped scrum-half, with an emotional send-off at Murrayfield.

GAVIN HASTINGS

Clubs: Watsonians, Cambridge University, London Scottish. Scotland debut: v France, 18 January 1986. Caps: 61. Pts: 667

CAPTAIN "Fantastic" or "Marvel", depending on which comic book you read at the time, Hastings was was a strong, determined runner, solid under the high ball and ambitious in a great decade with Scotland. He made his mark on his debut, alongside younger brother Scott, with a record six penalty goals and finished his first season with a scoring record of 52 points.He ended his career being carried aloft by players and supporters at the Rugby World Cup in 1995 as Scotland's leading Test player with 61 caps and all-time greatest points total - 667 for Scotland and a further 67 for the British Lions, whom he also captained in New Zealand in 1993.

Hastings was a central figure in numerous great Scotland wins, notably kicking eight out of eight in the record-breaking 33-6 defeat of England in 1986, scoring the match-winning try and conversion in the last game in the Parc des Princes in 1995 that brought Scotland's 26-year wait for a Paris victory to an end and kicking through for Tony Stanger's match-winning try in the 1990 Grand Slam decider.

SCOTT HASTINGS

Club: Watsonians. Scotland debut: v France, 18 January, 1986. Caps: 65. Pts: 43

HAD his big brother Gavin not been on the scene alongside him, there is little doubt Scott Hastings would have been viewed as a unique talent, but Scott is quick to state that his rugby career was made more special by the on-field presence of his brother.

He began his Scotland career with Gavin against France in 1986 and the pair celebrated their 50th caps together against the same opposition, and again at Murrayfield, in 1994, but Scott went on to surpass Gavin's tally and brought the curtain down as Scotland's most-capped player with 65 Test appearances, against England in 1997. A determined, powerful runner and intimidating tackler, Hastings developed a crucial partnership with Sean Lineen in the centre that helped clinch the Grand Slam in 1990. Twice a British and Irish Lion, Hastings played in both the Test match victories against Australia in 1989 - the first Lions' series triumph in 25 years.

BRYAN REDPATH

Clubs: Melrose, Narbonne, Sale. Scotland debut: v New Zealand, 20 November, 1993. Caps: 60. Pts: 5.

CAME through a Melrose system blessed with a number of talented players, such as Craig Chalmers, Graham Shiel, Doddie Weir and Carl Hogg, but the scrum-half's fiery spirit and sheer determination was a key part of the success that came to the Borders club in the 1990s. A joiner to trade, he left for French rugby and Narbonne when few here knew anything about the French domestic game, and then crossed back over the Channel to help Brian Kennedy launch a revolution at Sale, where he helped steer the Manchester club to the top of the English game.

Despite vying with quality performers in Gary Armstrong and Andy Nicol for most of his career, Redpath would go on to win 60 caps, breaking Armstrong's record as Scotland's most-capped scrum-half. He captained his country to their first victory over South Africa in 33 years in November 2002 and retired after defeat to Australia in the 2003 World Cup quarter-finals. His coaching career now has him in charge at Gloucester with former Melrose and Scotland teammate Carl Hogg.

DAVID SOLE

Clubs: Bath, Edinburgh Academical. Scotland debut: v France, 18 January 1986. Caps: 44.Pts: 12

AS the quiet, but hard-nosed captain of the 1990 Grand Slam winners, Sole is remembered for making his team walk out of the tunnel to inspire the Murrayfield crowd. Another of the class of '86, alongside the Hastings brothers and Fin Calder that ushered in a new era for Scottish rugby. Just 23 when he made his debut, he became a talented member of the Bath front row of the 1980s while studying at Exeter University and the best of a new breed of ball-playing props.

With a record 25 caps as captain, Sole was the first-choice loose-head prop with the victorious 1989 British Lions in Australia, playing in all three Tests .

ALAN TAIT

Clubs: Kelso, Widnes RL, Leeds RL, Newcastle, Edinburgh Reivers. Scotland debut: 23 May, 1987. Caps: 27. Pts: 81.

SCOTLAND'S most prolific try-scorer with a haul of 17 in just 27 internationals. After starring for Kelso and making his Test debut as a replacement for John Rutherford in the 1987 World Cup, Tait followed in the footsteps of his father, also Alan, by heading south to play Rugby League. At that time, still-amateur rugby union shunned league and he was told never to return. However, after becoming a star in League, and representing Great Britain 16 times and Scotland in the RL World Cup, he did return to union when his first love turned professional in 1995-96.

Tait played for Newcastle, helped the Lions to success in South Africa in 1997 and was a key man in Scotland's Five Nations Championship victory in 1999, before becoming a Scotland coach.