The Scotsman reports
DUNCAN SMITH

THE Scotland national rugby coach's job is a straight fight between Edinburgh's Frank Hadden and Steve Bates of the Borders, Scottish Rugby Union president Andy Irvine has revealed.

Interviews took place at Murrayfield on Monday for the position vacated when Matt Williams was sacked in May, and Irvine said the selection panel will meet again soon to discuss the next step.

The president confirmed that Scotland's other pro-team coach, Hugh Campbell of Glasgow, had withdrawn from the selection process.

Hadden, who is currently interim national coach and led Scotland to two victories over the Barbarians and Romania at the end of last season, is favourite to get the nod but Irvine insisted a decision was still to be made.

"It will be a straight choice between Frank and Steve," said Irvine.

"People will assume Frank is the front-runner as he was in interim charge, but the Barbarians team we beat was anything but a world-class side and the autumn Tests against Argentina, Samoa and New Zealand will be a completely different proposition.

"The one thing Frank does have in his favour is he has worked with the players already and they have all said the feelgood factor he brought to the squad made a huge difference."

Meanwhile, on the domestic front, Irvine says he would like to have a fourth Scottish pro-team, based in Aberdeen, playing in the Celtic League in around three years. He explained: "I am 100 per cent in favour of having a north presence in the pro game.

"The Borders are under-funded in comparison to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

My first aim will be to rectify that for next year's budget and the following year, if our finances are in order, I will be pushing for a Caledonia team. Whether that would be in Perth, Inverness or Aberdeen remains to be seen but my preference is for Aberdeen."

This article was posted on 14-Sep-2005, 06:33 by Hugh Barrow.