BRENT Cockbain is the latest player to back Michael Owen, who takes over as Wales captain at Murrayfield on Sunday in the enforced absence of Gareth Thomas.

Owen, the Newport Gwent Dragons number eight, has been handed the reins by Wales coach Mike Ruddock with Thomas ruled out by a broken thumb.

"He's always a strong influence on the team anyway as vice-captain," said Wales lock Cockbain. "He'll be a good captain, everyone respects him and they listen to what he says.

"But we're a very tight unit, we didn't lose our cool against France, we knuckled down and did the job which is testament to Michael.

"We've got a lot of good leaders and so many good players that I'm sure he'll be fine, it'll make it easy for him so that he'll just do the toss and decide about the goal kicking.

"We've been without quite a few players like Colin (Charvis), Sonny (Parker) and Dafydd (Jones), then take 'Alfie' (Gareth Thomas) out and you still have competition in the side which is fantastic.

"We've got that strength in depth, if you don't have it then you'll start to struggle near the end of matches.

"Once 'Alfie' went off in France we started playing a bit! It doesn't faze the team, we've got guys who can come in and play, guys who can move in and state their case."

Cockbain says Wales can't take anything for granted, no matter how much they are regarded as favourites.

"As long as we are not complacent and play our game we need not fear them," he said. "Everyone expects us to win, but we can't just turn up and win, the bounce of the ball and we could be out of everything.

"We'll have to go up there with all guns blazing, we've won three and everyone is concentrating on the 'other' game," he added referring to next week's hoped for Grand Slam showdown with Ireland.

"But if we lose this one we'll go from hero to zero overnight, if we lose this weekend it will all have been for nothing.

"But we're not complacent and we can't relax. This will be the biggest test so far, they pushed France, they played well against Ireland for the first 30 minutes and they gave Italy a hard fight.

"Scotland will be scrapping for everything, they'll fight from the word go, they'll fight to the finish."