Their career paths may be about to take different directions for the first time in some years, but the man who knows Gregor Townsend's rugby best believes he is ready to establish himself as one of the game's all-time greats.

In the wake of Townsend's departure from Ian McGeechan's Northampton to French club Brive, both have made it clear that there are no hard feelings, despite the player repeatedly having voiced frustration at being unable to establish himself in his preferred stand-off role.

''I am disappointed Gregor is leaving, but it wasn't because of a disagreement,'' said McGeechan. ''It's just that he's always wanted to play over there. You know what he's like for challenges. He either wanted to go to France or play Super 12 rugby. It wasn't a case of simply wanting to move on.''

Few can understand Townsend better than the man who has become his mentor.

McGeechan was Scotland's coach when Townsend made his debut in 1993; he took the Borderer to Northampton three years ago, and he made him his playmaker for last summer's historic British Lions Test series win in South Africa.

Furthermore, his own international career was similarly split between playing at stand-off and at centre - winning 20 of his 32 Scotland caps and making all eight British Lions wider out.

''The thing I've always wanted to get across to Gregor is that the most important thing for him was to perform well as a rugby player,'' McGeechan explained. ''For example, his best season for Scotland in the No.10 jersey was his best season for us at centre.''

McGeechan believes his protege has suffered in different ways from the Scottish mentality. Primarily, expectations of him are perhaps unreasonably high. Equally his own mind set has been affected by the culture in which he grew up.

''His problem has tended to be trying to force something out of nothing, particularly in his earlier days,'' said McGeechan, pointing to the extra pressure placed upon a still developing player by apparently having an entire nation pinning its hopes upon him. ''We knew that if he did that in South Africa, we would lose the ball.''

Consequently he was delighted with the way Townsend responded to the challenge of facing the Springboks, and learning to be far less instinctive.

''It was because he was capable of so much that he tried to force things, but he's got the balance now of what he should try and what he shouldn't. That increases the sense of unpredictability which makes it harder for opponents to deal with. They have to do more than simply home in on Gregor,'' McGeechan explained.

''In Scotland we've always seen him as a match-winner which also led to him trying too much, but now you can play off him. Sometimes you only really see how good he is when what he's been attempting is shown in slow motion. Often it's the case that other people simply haven't been able to think as quickly as him.

''He frequently takes criticism unfairly because he has seen something on and others haven't reacted, but that's another thing he has to adapt to.''

McGeechan also believes, however, that Townsend himself has placed too much importance on the stand-off berth.

''I think where he plays in future should depend on where the strengths of the sides he plays for lie, because he is flexible enough to adapt. He is a very good centre, but I don't think you would argue with having him at No.10,'' he said.

''Always wanting to play there is very much a Scottish thing, because it has always been seen as a very important position in Scotland. Nowadays, though, there is a tendency to put people there who are good decision-makers and put the strike players further out.

''You're now looking at 15 and the outside backs because of the way the patterns of the game have changed in recent times. He played a couple of games for us at full back and looked very good, although that's not something you'd look seriously at yet.

''But I've told him that I feel it isn't necessary for him to be the best No.10 in Britain, it is more important for him to be the best back in Britain.''

At the age of 25, remarkably a year younger than McGeechan was on his Scotland debut, the pupil will surpass the master's tally of caps when returning to stand-off in the Test against Fiji on Tuesday, and seems well on course to achieve the status his talent deserves.

''He's gone to France with our blessing and French rugby will suit him,'' said McGeechan. ''We'll also see how he responds to the challenge of being such a senior player in Australia. It's quite an exciting time for Scotland and they are in a frame of mind where they might just crack a few good results.

''They are thinking differently as a team. Their character and personality is beginning to change again. Gregor should have an influence on that.''

Just how good Townsend can become remains to be seen, but McGeechan clearly feels he has been involved in developing one of the game's great talents.

''I'm a big Gregor fan, but the key word is consistency. Now it's not so much a case of his talent showing, this is where the maturity comes in. He'll hurt people in different ways now, because he knows to put the ball into spaces where players will be.

''Sometimes the best thing is not to do something and that's the understanding he now has. I think in that respect, fingers crossed, we've yet to see the best of him.''