Six Nations makeweights more often than not, Scotland feel the green shoots of a revival are taking shape under coach Vern Cotter, the New Zealander with the ice-cool stare.
Prized away from French giants Clermont, Cotter has instilled a new belief into the Scots who have won five matches out of 25 since 2010.
"There is a great buzz, partly off the back of the Autumn internationals. Coming into camp I was really excited to get back and start training and improve again," scrumhalf Laidlaw said on Wednesday.
A narrow defeat by New Zealand and wins over Argentina and Tonga offered plenty of encouragement and Laidlaw said there was a "real desire for us to play well in this blue jersey.
"We're not getting carried away with ourselves, our feet are firmly on the ground," he said at the Six Nations media day.
"The job in hand is a tough one... very tough start away to France (on Feb. 7).
GOOD INDIVIDUALS
"Ultimately we're trying to push on, we need to keep working hard, do the basics well, and if we do that I believe we've got some good individuals to cause other teams a lot of problems.
"We need to play as a team -- that is where our strength is going to lie. We scored a lot of tries in the Autumn with different players."
Laidlaw said having the Gray brothers in the team was evidence of great team spirit.
"That's brilliant for us. You talk about brotherhood -- to have actual brothers in the team is pretty unique and a great thing to have.
"We talk a lot about pulling on the blue jersey. Real pride. A lot of times it comes down to that. Blood and guts, roll up our sleeves and get stuck in. We want to epitomise that in the Six Nations.
"We need to be a tight-knit group -- if you can become that you start playing for each other. The boys know each other really well so we can turn that into a strength."
Scotland follow their opening clash in Paris with home games against Wales and Italy before travelling to Twickenham to play England before finishing with a home game against Ireland.
(Editing by Ken Ferris)
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