APPOINTMENTS FOR SUMMER TOURS
Posted: 06/May/08
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Scottish Rugby can today confirm the coaching teams that will take charge of the summer Test programmes for the national team and Scotland A.

The new combinations offer a "wealth of experience of both the international game at the highest level and a detailed knowledge of Scottish professional players," declared Scottish Rugby's Chief Executive, Gordon McKie.

As previously announced the national management team that will take charge of the Scotland squad during the two-Test tour to Argentina in June will be headed by Frank Hadden, national coach, and will include coaches, Sean Lineen and Andy Robinson.

The national management team will also include three specialist coaches -Duncan Hodge (place and line kicking), Mark Bitcon (strength and conditioning) and Alan Tait (defence).

Both Lineen and Robinson will continue to fulfil their current roles at Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh.

The national management team will then be reviewed post the summer tour to Argentina.

Meanwhile the Scotland A squad that will compete in the Barclays Churchill Cup in North America will be under the direction of Rob Moffat who has been a professional coach in Scotland for more than ten years.

Moffat, the backs coach at Edinburgh Rugby, will be joined by Glasgow Warriors forwards coach and former Scotland lock Shade Munro; Glasgow Warriors defence coach Gary Mercer and Scotland 7s coach Stephen Gemmell for their three matches in June.

Once again the Scotland A team management will be reviewed after the Churchill Cup.

Gordon McKie said: We have now completed our review of the RBS 6 Nations Championship and the coaching teams we have put in place for the Scotland and Scotland A teams will give us the best chance of success next month. We are also making alterations to the strength, fitness and conditioning, performance development and other supporting disciplines at Scottish Rugby aimed at further improving preparation of the national squad.


The new management teams are meeting this week to select their squads for the summer tours.

This article was posted on 6-May-2008, 18:48 by Hugh Barrow.