Rugby: Telfer blog attacks the search for a Scotland coach as a charade

Published on Monday 4 May 2009 09:57

FORMER Scotland coach Jim Telfer has labelled procedures for choosing the latest incumbent a "charade" in noting how the selection panel contains nobody with high-level coaching experience.

The Scottish Rugby Union has announced that the task of finding a successor to the deposed Frank Hadden will fall partly to Andy Irvine, Gordon Bulloch and Andy Nicol – all outstanding players in their day but with limited coaching experience even on the club scene.

Telfer says: "The whole series of procedures put in place to interview the applicants is a charade. The three 'rugby' people on the interviewing panel know nothing about the coaching pressures at the highest level." One-time Lions mentor Telfer also notes how Nicol played for a Bath side coached by the favourite for the job, Andy Robinson.

But while Telfer has reservations about Scottish Rugby's attempts to ensure transparency he is in no doubt that Robinson should switch from Edinburgh to the national side. "I think that he (Robinson) will be chosen and I also believe he can do a very good job," said Telfer in his blog column for STV. Telfer also paid tribute to the role played by the former England player and coach in leading Edinburgh to their latest Celtic League win.

That was by 32-30 at Ospreys and Telfer added: "Andy Robinson did his chances of being chosen as Scotland's coach no harm with his team's victory."

Edinburgh now finish their home campaign against Dragons on Saturday before bringing down the curtain at Cardiff on May 17 and Telfer makes clear they are entitled to a warm welcome back from fans.

"It was the manner in which Edinburgh won which impressed me, taking into consideration that the home team had recently being contesting the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup."