Scotland captain Mike Blair believes selection for this year's British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa will spark a new chapter in his six-year international career.

With boss Ian McGeechan just hours away from announcing the 35-strong squad, Blair faces an agonising wait with Welsh duo Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel and Irish pair Tomas O'Leary and Peter Stringer all in contention at scrum-half.

A below-par Six Nations has left McGeechan with little to choose from in the Scottish ranks with Blair, prop Euan Murray and hooker Ross Ford just three of few to be rumoured for selection.

But Blair believes the performances of former Scottish greats Gavin Hastings and Finlay Calder in a Lions shirt will be at the forefront of McGeechan's mind and could play in his favour.

"I remember in 2005 I was at Scott Murray's house watching the second test, in 2001 I had just left school and in 1997 I was with my mum and dad watching it," said Edinburgh scrum-half Blair.

"It is quite strange how I associate the tour with different parts of my life but hopefully I could be entering a new chapter this year.

"I was happy with the way things went in the Six Nations and when you have Gavin and Finlay who were Edinburgh guys who went onto become Lions greats that is an inspiration."