SRU puts timetable on new coach

SCOTLAND will have a national rugby coach in place before the forthcoming autumn Test series, it was confirmed yesterday.

Allan Munro, the Scottish Rugby Union chairman, said that naming a permanent replacement for the sacked Australian Matt Williams was something "that had to be sorted out". The post will now be advertised internally, signalling that a mooted three-match trial period for interim coach Frank Hadden was not on the agenda.

The Edinburgh coach has been in charge on a caretaker basis since Williams was dismissed in April and led Scotland to end-of-season victories over the Barbarians and Romania. There had been speculation that Hadden, who has been supported by his fellow pro-team coaches, would be given the chance to stake his claim further over the course of the November Tests.

However, yesterday's announcement made clear that Hadden, or any other successful candidate, would be given the job on a full-time basis before the Murrayfield clashes against Argentina, Samoa and New Zealand. Munro revealed that a nomination committee that will include himself, new SRU president Andy Irvine and interim chief executive Fred McLeod, has been set up to identify Williams' successor.

A new director of rugby is also required following Ian McGeechan's defection to Wasps. Richie Dixon has been filling that role on an interim basis, but the SRU will now advertise the post and, if it is filled quickly, the new man would join the nomination committee to tackle the national coach issue, along with the Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy, who is now a non-executive director at the SRU.

"We had a very positive first board meeting last Thursday," Munro said. "One of the things we discussed was to set up committees on the board, one of which was a nomination committee. That will consist of two of the non-executives, myself and Fred McLeod, and two council members, in the shape of Andy Irvine and Archie Ferguson. One of the tasks facing us is that we currently have an interim director of rugby and an interim coach, in the shape of Frank Hadden. In the case of the director of rugby, we will be advertising that position in the near future and will review applications as and when.

"In the case of the national coach, that committee will work, together with the likelihood of a couple of additions such as the new director of rugby, and Brian Kennedy, who clearly has a lot to offer.

"We will be advertising in due course - initially, we will advertise internally - and will review the position from there. And we will be looking to make an appointment quite clearly with the autumn Tests in mind."

The SRU suffered a setback last week when it was decided that none of the candidates for the chief executive vacancy were considered suitable for the post. Ideally, the successor to Phil Anderton in the top job would play a leading role in the appointment of a new director of rugby and national coach. However, with that search ongoing and no sign of a swift resolution, Munro said yesterday that the mechanisms had been put in place to replace McGeechan and Williams with or without a chief executive.

Irvine, who was elected SRU president last month, is known to be in favour of a return to Scottish coaches and was impressed with the job Hadden performed in the two Tests in May. They may not have been against the strongest opposition in the shape of a weak Barbarians outfit and Romania, but convincing 38-7 and 39-19 wins respectively proved a timely boost. More impressive was what appeared to be a relaxed and positive atmosphere in the squad fostered by Hadden and his team in contrast to the grim latter stages of the Williams era.

"Scotland ended last season on a high and the team were playing with a smile on their faces," said Irvine at Murrayfield yesterday as he launched special discount ticket deals for the autumn Tests. The president said he was looking forward to the first competitive international action of his tenure, and stressed the importance of attracting the rugby public back to Murrayfield to get behind what is hoped will be a fresh start for the national team.

"There are three tremendous games on offer culminating in the visit of New Zealand, who are clearly the side in vogue at the moment after giving the Lions an absolute trouncing. It will be marvellous to see them at Murrayfield.

"From Scottish rugby's point of view it is essential that we get big crowds for all three games. Firstly to help support the team, because the bigger the crowd the better chance we have of success, and secondly it obviously helps our finances too."

The "early bird" ticket offers, which are open until 31 August, include deals which would allow a family of four to watch all three Tests for 130, while students and under-18s can attend all three for 30.