Scotland will battle on in bid to retain Shingler in 6 Nations squad

Scotland are refusing to admit defeat in their efforts to include Steven Shingler in their RBS 6 Nations squad, despite the International Rugby Board advising that the player is only eligible to play for Wales.

The Scottish and Welsh rugby unions had asked the IRB to review Shingler’s eligibility after Wales challenged his selection in Andy Robinson’s 36-man Scotland panel due to his appearance for Wales Under-20s against their French counterparts last year.

Scotland believed the 20-year-old London Irish centre or fly-half was available for selection through his Dumfries-born mother, and insisted he had kept his eligibility open by refusing to sign a declaration tying him to Wales.

But the world governing body said that IRB Regulation Eight, which governs eligibility, indicated that Shingler can only play for Wales as the Under-20s fixture he had played in was sanctioned as being between the nominated second XVs of the competing nations, thus committing him to the principality.

However, the SRU and WRU have the option of utilising IRB Regulation 2, which would allow them to refer the matter to be considered formally by the governing body’s Regulations Committee, and the SRU have confirmed that they plan to refer the matter to the committee, as well as reiterating that they are fully supportive of Shingler.