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Will
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Scottish Rugby announced today (Thursday 04 June) that Andy Robinson has been appointed Head Coach of the Scotland team.
Robinson, who enjoyed two successful seasons with Edinburgh to supplement his World Cup winning triumph with England in 2003, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for me to get back into Test rugby. I have enjoyed my time with Edinburgh immensely and to be appointed Scotland Head Coach is something that I am greatly honoured and excited about.
"I have enjoyed being part of the national and A team set-up in Scotland in the past two seasons and working with the players has fuelled my optimism. I am confident that I can take them and the national team onto bigger and better things.
"With the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011, I believe we have a crop of players who can really challenge the world's best and preparation for that starts now.
"I'm looking forward to leading Scotland A into the IRB Nations Cup in Romania next week and thereafter preparing for our Autumn Tests at Murrayfield against Fiji, Australia and Argentina.
"I am very proud to be taking up the Scotland Head Coach role and I can assure all our supporters both at home and abroad that I will be doing everything I possibly can to bring success to the national team."
Scottish Rugby's Chief Executive Gordon McKie hailed Robinson's appointment. He said: "We are absolutely delighted that we have secured Andy Robinson as the new Head Coach for Scotland. Andy is an ambitious and highly committed coach and I am confident that he will bring success to Scotland.
"Andy has proved himself at every level of the game and we are thrilled that he will now be leading the Scotland team as we look towards the challenges of the next three years, including the 2011 World Cup.
"He has been part of the Scottish Rugby family for the past two years and has brought success both to Edinburgh Rugby, with their highest ever Magners League finish in successive seasons, and has also guided the Scotland A team to notable successes. "
McKie continued: "Andy has a well established relationship with many of the Scotland players and has an understanding of professional rugby at the highest level."
Andy Robinson will be supported in his new role by Scotland's current defence coach Graham Steadman and further announcements in respect of the coaching staff will be made in due course.
Former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lion Gordon Bulloch, who was part of the interview panel that determined the appointment said: "Andy was the outstanding candidate from a quite exceptional shortlist which underlines the allure of coaching the Scotland team.
"I know from having had the privilege of his coaching and guidance on Lions tours that he is passionate about his rugby, is a skilled communicator and has values and an ethos which are absolutely at one with developing a winning Scotland team."
http://www.scottishrugby.org/content/view/397/2/
Not a bad appointment by any means, and one I'm quite happy with given what Robinson achieved with England in the 2003 world cup and in his past couple of seasons with Edinburgh. To finish 2nd in the Magners league behind Munster is no mean feat given some of the competition. Admittedly though I am a little disappointed given that the name of Jake White was banded around in some quarters as being in contention, but perhaps that would have been to hope for too much. I just hope that Robinson moves away from what Hadden achieved in his time as Scotland head coach, which was very little. I also hope that Robinson doesn't continue the pro-Edinburgh bias that has existed for the past few years.
All in all though it's good news as far as I'm concerned. Let's hope it's a chance for Scotland to move onwards and upwards as they should with the talent at their disposal.
Robinson, who enjoyed two successful seasons with Edinburgh to supplement his World Cup winning triumph with England in 2003, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for me to get back into Test rugby. I have enjoyed my time with Edinburgh immensely and to be appointed Scotland Head Coach is something that I am greatly honoured and excited about.
"I have enjoyed being part of the national and A team set-up in Scotland in the past two seasons and working with the players has fuelled my optimism. I am confident that I can take them and the national team onto bigger and better things.
"With the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011, I believe we have a crop of players who can really challenge the world's best and preparation for that starts now.
"I'm looking forward to leading Scotland A into the IRB Nations Cup in Romania next week and thereafter preparing for our Autumn Tests at Murrayfield against Fiji, Australia and Argentina.
"I am very proud to be taking up the Scotland Head Coach role and I can assure all our supporters both at home and abroad that I will be doing everything I possibly can to bring success to the national team."
Scottish Rugby's Chief Executive Gordon McKie hailed Robinson's appointment. He said: "We are absolutely delighted that we have secured Andy Robinson as the new Head Coach for Scotland. Andy is an ambitious and highly committed coach and I am confident that he will bring success to Scotland.
"Andy has proved himself at every level of the game and we are thrilled that he will now be leading the Scotland team as we look towards the challenges of the next three years, including the 2011 World Cup.
"He has been part of the Scottish Rugby family for the past two years and has brought success both to Edinburgh Rugby, with their highest ever Magners League finish in successive seasons, and has also guided the Scotland A team to notable successes. "
McKie continued: "Andy has a well established relationship with many of the Scotland players and has an understanding of professional rugby at the highest level."
Andy Robinson will be supported in his new role by Scotland's current defence coach Graham Steadman and further announcements in respect of the coaching staff will be made in due course.
Former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lion Gordon Bulloch, who was part of the interview panel that determined the appointment said: "Andy was the outstanding candidate from a quite exceptional shortlist which underlines the allure of coaching the Scotland team.
"I know from having had the privilege of his coaching and guidance on Lions tours that he is passionate about his rugby, is a skilled communicator and has values and an ethos which are absolutely at one with developing a winning Scotland team."
http://www.scottishrugby.org/content/view/397/2/
Not a bad appointment by any means, and one I'm quite happy with given what Robinson achieved with England in the 2003 world cup and in his past couple of seasons with Edinburgh. To finish 2nd in the Magners league behind Munster is no mean feat given some of the competition. Admittedly though I am a little disappointed given that the name of Jake White was banded around in some quarters as being in contention, but perhaps that would have been to hope for too much. I just hope that Robinson moves away from what Hadden achieved in his time as Scotland head coach, which was very little. I also hope that Robinson doesn't continue the pro-Edinburgh bias that has existed for the past few years.
All in all though it's good news as far as I'm concerned. Let's hope it's a chance for Scotland to move onwards and upwards as they should with the talent at their disposal.
