EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS REPORTS
BILL LOTHIAN
WATSONIANS are poised to snap up one of Scotland's fastest rising rugby players.

Sources at Capital rivals Edinburgh Acads have confirmed they expect to lose scrum-half Matt Coupar in a move that will take the official Division Two player of 2005-06 across the city to Myreside.

Coupar is believed to be in Australia where he was due to represent Brisbane club, Souths, for a two-month spell.

But, on his return, 'Sonians will be looking to register him as successor to Jamie Blackwood, the former Edinburgh Gunners back-up scrum-half who has moved to Rotherham.

The acquisition of an individual who confirmed his potential by gaining selection for Scotland Sevens squads towards the end of last season is expected to be one of a handful of signings revealed by the current Scottish Cup holders before heading off on a pre-season training camp with the Marines at Arbroath next month.

Meanwhile, champions Glasgow Hawks are battling those keen to overturn a previous arrangement to cut the number of teams in Premiership Division One to ten at the Scottish Rugby Union's annual general meeting on Friday week.

In a statement on their website today Hawks say: "No fair-minded person could possibly believe that changing the rules and prize for a competition two months after its completion could be considered fair. It is simply not correct to change the rules of a sporting competition retrospectively."

This article was originally posted on 22-Jun-2006, 16:45 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 22-Jun-2006, 18:55.