Scotland rugby great John Jeffrey is hoping his union's partnership with the southwestern city of Nagasaki will hold them in good stead at Rugby World Cup 2019.

Speaking to Kyodo News on the eve of Wednesday's pool draw, the former back-row forward said the Scots would be using Nagasaki -- which has a long-standing link with Scotland via the Bakumatsu and Meiji period merchant Thomas Glover -- as a holding camp prior to the tournament starting on Sept. 20.

"A lot will depend on the new coach (Gregor Townsend) and the strength and conditioning coach but we will probably arrive 10 to 14 days before the tournament kicks off," Jeffrey said. "It also depends on where our first game is, which we will find out in November."

Scottish Rugby signed a strategic alliance agreement with Nagasaki in August 2016 and there have since been a number of exchanges.

"An under-15 side came to Scotland and we will be sending an age-group side to Nagasaki," said Jeffrey, who along with fellow ex-internationals Alastair Kellock and Chris Paterson held coaching clinics for over 700 children in schools in the city over the weekend.

"It's a great place to let the boys get over the jet lag and acclimatize to the weather. The facilities are great and there is plenty for them to do. You don't want the boys to go stir crazy," he said.

Jeffrey was in Japan eight years ago as manager of the Scotland under-20 team that played at the Junior World Championship, and he hoped his experience would help the team settle in quickly.

"I was blown away by how well things were organized in 2009," the 58-year-old Kelso native said.

"I remember going back and telling my union not to worry about Japan bidding for a World Cup. 'They can nail it,' I said."

Jeffrey, who was part of the Scotland team that beat Japan 47-9 at Rugby World Cup 1991, said one of the keys would be adapting to the way things are done here.

"You need to embrace the culture here and buy into it. It is very special," he explained. "It will be a totally different World Cup."

He said it will also be one of the most competitive.

Scotland are one of the teams in band 2, which means they could get a rematch with Japan, who they beat 45-10 at RWC 2015, the only defeat inflicted on the Brave Blossoms.

"The two countries teams will be looking to avoid in band 3 are Argentina and Japan," Jeffrey said. "And then you could still get Samoa and Fiji in the lower two bands. I reckon there could be two groups of death not one. But that just shows how well rugby has developed."