Rugby Union

Scottish Rugby is set to roll out a new vision for development of the grassroots game, which will include a new domestic league structure to begin in season 2021-22.

Edinburgh have have handed young lock Jamie Hodgson his first full-time professional deal.

Sam Hidalgo-Clyne had only half-an-hour to decide if a loan move to Harlequins was the right one for him but now he is out to make up for lost time with the English outfit as they continue to fight for two trophies.

The president of Scotland’s leading “gay and inclusive rugby club” Caledonian Thebans has praised Grand Slam hero Scott Hastings for his intervention in the Israel Folau homophobia row.

Scottish rugby legend Scott Hastings has entered the homophobia row engulfing the global game.

It is a club that is very much Scottish rugby’s riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma, but enjoyed a glory day in the chilly sunshine at Melrose on Saturday.

Glasgow Warriors head coach Dave Rennie joked that the Conference A leaders could pack out Celtic Park for a Pro14 final on their own after their wonderful five-try win at 
Leinster.

If Edinburgh fans are searching for a silver lining after Friday’s fall from grace against Ulster then at least their team will go into the final game of the regular season against Glasgow without a hint of complacency.

Glasgow Warriors regained the lead in conference A, gave themselves every chance of a home semi-final and became the first team to beat Leinster at the RDS this season. Unlike last year, Dave Rennie’s team are coming good exactly when it matters most because this was one of their best ever performances.

Football is a simple straightforward game and so its laws, which are easily understood by fans, have remained more or less unchanged for ages, only the interpretation of some, such as what constitutes a dangerous or illegal tackle, being revised. But rugby union is so complicated that a periodic review of 
its laws has been deemed necessary, and there will, it seems, be another revision of several of them after this year’s World Cup.

The man who has played the most World Series events ever for Scotland will be guesting for London Scottish in the Melrose Sevens today.

At the last census count Kelso’s population was just 5,639 but there was clearly something in the water, and we’re not talking the high-quality trout and salmon of the nearby River Tweed, 30 and more years ago when the Roxburghshire town enjoyed its rugby golden age.

Leinster may have parked two British and Irish Lions’ props on the bench, but there is no such luxury for Glasgow who have selected the strongest available team to play the PRO14 champions in Dublin this afternoon.

Edinburgh have been living dangerously in recent weeks, bouncing back from a 12-0 deficit last weekend. But Richard Cockerill’s half-time sinew-stiffening speeches are evidently losing their effect.

Munster have made 11 changes to their team to face Benetton tonight in a game which could have a big bearing on both Glasgow’s and Edinburgh’s Pro14 play-off hopes.

Ross Ford, Scotland’s most-capped rugby player of all time, has earned a fitting send-off but Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill said tonight may not be the night as business takes precedence, and that the veteran hooker wouldn’t have it any other way.

England prop Joe Marler appeared to mock Israel Folau by posting images on Twitter of men kissing each other and tagging in the Australia full-back.

Scotland centre Matt Scott has raised fresh concerns that rugby’s strict head injury protocols will never be enough to fully protect player welfare.