HE might turn 50 next year, but you still get the feeling George Graham would run through a brick wall for the sake of Scottish rugby if somebody asked him politely. This, after all, is one of the sport's trailblazers and who has always been more interested in the trail than the blazer, whether starring in both codes, excelling at Newcastle, or gaining 25 international caps in the union ranks and being a pivotal part of the last great Scottish team, the one which triumphed in the Five Nations Championship of 1999.

Since that halcyon spring, Graham has endured some frustrations and rocky chapters on his personal journey, but when we hooked up on Monday, he was as enthusiastic as ever about his involvement at the grassroots in the Borders, where he has coached Gala to significant success in the last five years.

As the nights draw in and the shadows lengthen, Graham has enjoyed a successful start to the BT Premiership campaign, with two wins out of two and those against Border rivals, Selkirk and Hawick. Yet, typically, he isn't inclined to toot his horn or get carried away by these victories, especially after the disappointments the Netherdale club suffered last season when they slipped out of contention as injuries and the loss of key players sparked a collapse.

Instead, he is realistic, level-headed and seeking improvement. "We have set ourselves high standards here recently and while I'm happy with the results, the performances have been patchy," said Graham, whose peripatetic journey has taken him all over Europe, including a stint in Italy.

"In terms of how we have got on, it's always good to gain the bragging rights over your local rivals, and beating Hawick was a positive step, because that's the rugby equivalent of the Old Firm derby down here and there was the sort of big crowd which proves how many people still care about the club scene.

"But it's going to be interesting to see how supporters react over the next few weeks once the World Cup kicks off. It might be that clubs have to be flexible in how they schedule games and persuade fans to watch two or three matches on the same day. But I'll say this: the standard of the Premiership is rising, skill levels are better than they used to be, and we know we are in for a tough challenge. The absolute minimum [ambition] is to reach the play-offs and aim for another Scottish Cup win – but we realise everybody else is pushing up the bar for themselves as well."

Back in 1999, the Scots were far more highly regarded on the global stage than they are today. The IRB rankings might not paint a wholly accurate picture, but when the likes of Gary Armstrong, Alan Tait, Doddie Weir, Glenn Metcalfe, Gregor Townsend, Tom Smith and Graham were flinging themselves into battle, the opposition knew what had hit them, whether it was in demolition jobs on Ireland and Wales or a complete dismantling of Les Bleus on a resplendent Paris afternoon.

Graham recognises that his country's fortunes have ebbed in the last 16 years, but he has detected signs of resurgence amid the Scots' World Cup warm-up fixtures. "Vern Cotter has done well, he has taken the shackles off the boys and allowed them to express themselves and I'm pretty confident the players will give a decent account of themselves at the tournament," said Graham.

"He knows what he wants and he has put a lot of work into sorting out the breakdown and emphasising the importance of Scotland gaining quick ball and one of the most promising aspects is the range of young talent he has in the squad, with the likes of Stuart Hogg, Mark Bennett, Tommy Seymour and Finn Russell capable of troubling anybody they meet.

"They are obviously in a testing pool and perhaps nobody is expecting too much from them [considering the Wooden Spoon attained as recently as last March], but I am quietly optimistic they will beat Japan, the USA and Samoa and then it will come down to them and South Africa. Of course, that will be hard, but it is a World Cup where you have to meet the best and I've seen enough to think Vern knows what he is doing."

This is a positively glowing review from somebody with Graham's attitude to defeat – he detests it – and maybe, just maybe, there are signs that Graham is mellowing a little. Just don't tell him anybody said so.