Six Nations 2012: Andy Robinson hands keys to Ross Ford to drive Scotland forward His elevation to the captaincy - the appointment is for the whole of the Six Nations - had been rumoured, but national coach Andy Robinson did not cover up the fact that Kelly Brown, the Saracens flanker, had been his first choice for the job. However, Brown suffered a serious knee injury in his side's Heineken cup match with Treviso on Sunday and has now been ruled out of the championship. Scotland doctor James Robson said: "Following the scans that Kelly underwent yesterday and consultation with a knee specialist, Kelly will require a small operation to stabilise the fibula head in his leg, which he dislocated. The surgery will facilitate his recovery. This will happen in the next seven to 10 days, once the initial swelling has settled. The return from an injury of this nature is, typically, in the region of eight to 10 weeks. Yet the fact he has stepped into a wounded man's shoes should do nothing to diminish the intensity of Ford's performance. Scotland's only current Test Lion, he made his solitary appearance for the combined side when he came on as a replacement at Johannesburg's Ellis Park in the third and final Test against the Springboks in 2009. His powerful display persuaded many that he should have been in the side much earlier. That experience was one of the more significant staging posts in Ford's personal development. If you had asked me [to be captain] two or three years ago I would have done it but I would have been a little bit apprehensive. Now I think I'm at a stage where I'm very comfortable doing it and I'm confident in my abilities. It's been about getting a greater understanding of the game through experiences and being able to bring that to the table. Two years ago I maybe wasn't as rounded a player as I am now. I think I'm maybe in a better place now to do the job well. Robinson also hinted that his new captain was a changed man. "One of the things I've thought about Ross is that it has always been inside him," said the coach. It's about unlocking it. The experience has had had over the last couple of years means he can now unlock the potential that is there. He is very honest about it. He has performed outstandingly well for Scotland and Edinburgh over the past couple of years. He has been in our leadership group and he has developed very well. This is the next challenge for him. I'm delighted that he has taken it on. I discussed it with the management team and with a number of players. I have every confidence in Ross. He'll do it his way, which is important. He leads from the front and he performs at the coal face every week. Ford, who was raised and educated in Kelso, actually captained the Scotland schools team. A back-row prodigy as a teenage player, he joined the now-defunct Border Reivers on leaving school, but Tony Gilbert, the side's coach at the time, persuaded him to try hooker instead. It was a frustrating time for the player, but a debut cap in 2004 was testament to his determination. He has been Scotland's first-choice hooker since the 2007 World Cup and has now won 53 caps. Ford said: "I like to lead by example and that's the way I'll do it as captain. Obviously there's more speaking to do, but I'm happy with that. Over the past couple of years I've tried to speak more and make clear points that will help us go forward. There's a lot experience in the team now, so during the game I can also talk to players around me. Al Kellock captained Scotland at the World Cup last year, but he was dropped from the side for the critical pool game against Argentina. The fact he has not been asked again is a clear sign that his place in the team is far from certain. Chris Cusiter had also been touted as a possible captain, so the scrum-half may also be wondering about his prospects given Robinson's assertion that any captaincy candidate must be a guaranteed selection.