Revered coach Ian McGeechan is taking one of his boldest selection gambles by pitching Chris Paterson into flyhalf, in the hope of switching on Scotland's backline for the must-win Rugby World Cup game with Fiji on Saturday.

It is a big call for the man widely regarded as Scotland's greatest coach and comes as the team's brains trust look for ways to alight a backline, which senior winger Kenny Logan has described as potentially the most exciting in his 11 years playing for Scotland.

The Scots are confident they can turn things around from their record 51-9 hiding by group leaders France to take out the dangerous Fijians at the Sydney Football Stadium, and claim the second and last play-off spot out of Pool B.

Scotland have never missed out of a play-off spot in the previous four World Cups.

The timing of Paterson's switch from the wing for his first full cap at number 10 in such an important match delighted observers, who have been long calling for the 25-year-old Edinburgh utility to play at pivot.

It's a no-win situation for the three-time British Lions coach, who turned 57 on Thursday. If his team win, he will be told he should have switched Paterson a long time ago and if the Scots lose, he will be accused of having buckled to pressure and short-term gain.

McGeechan has moved regular number 10 Gregor Townsend to inside-centre so he has two playmakers to feed a backline featuring recalled young flyer Simon Danielli, retiring winger Logan and attacking fullback Glenn Metcalfe.

But there are those who believe the Scots may be playing into Fiji's hands. Fiji have instinctive players, are champion Sevens exponents and uncanny improvisers. Coach Mac McCallion is looking to instil discipline into a team that can be erratic, and he has also co-opted former British Lions and Wales coach Graham Henry to help with the Fijians' defensive structure.

McCallion, a former member of New Zealand's SAS, says he is not concerned if Scotland employ an expansive game, saying it has altered his tactics, but hasn't changed his selection plans.

"If Scotland want to throw it around that's fine by us," McCallion said on Thursday.

"We thought they'd play a kicking game, but I can see now, with the moves they've made, I think they might try and run it and play more of an attacking game than a kicking game, but we've prepared for both."

There will be pressure on explosive winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca to pay back his team-mates after serving out a two-game suspension for a punching incident in Fiji's tournament opener against France.

But Scotland's hopes of resurrecting an attacking backline rest on their front-five forwards wresting dominance from the Fijians.

"In any game you play, if your front five are on top of the other front five then the backs really get a chance, and that's what we have to get this weekend," Logan said.

"They talk about the flash things in the backs, but the front-five engine room is the key to Scotland, and we need that again this weekend."

Scotland's British Lions loosehead prop Tom Smith, who will play his 50th Test on Saturday, said the forwards had worked hard this week at training on their scrum and set-pieces.

"Obviously, the scrum didn't go so well last weekend (against France), so we've got to be focusing pretty hard on that. We expect a return, that's what we are working for," he said.

"Against a team like Fiji, you have got to cut down on the turnovers, in attack you want to be getting over the game line, and you can't have a loose kicking game.

"That's how they run the ball back at you, and generally you've just got to tighten up a bit and improve the stats sheet."