Hadden quits Scottish post

2010 SIX NATIONS:SCOTLAND HEAD coach Frank Hadden has stepped down from the position with immediate effect. The decision was taken after a meeting yesterday of the Scottish Rugby Board.

Scottish Rugby chief executive, Gordon McKie, said: “Following a presentation at today’s Scottish Rugby Board, covering a review of the Scotland performance in the Six Nations Championship, it was agreed with Frank Hadden that a change in head coach is required to allow us to plan fully for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.”

Scotland have finished in the bottom two of the Six Nations five times in the last six years, which is the same record as Italy. Their 26-12 Calcutta Cup defeat by England in the final game of this season’s competition was Scotland’s 12th in their last 16 matches.

After the defeat by England, Hadden raised eyebrows when he claimed he had a squad capable of winning the Six Nations – if only he had the the preparation time enjoyed by the likes of England, Ireland and Wales.

He said: “I honestly believe that we can win the championship with this squad. We have a squad of players that is capable of being very competitive at the very highest level but I am frustrated we don’t get the preparation time we want.”

Meanwhile, Irish rugby will end its brief Six Nations affair with Croke Park against Scotland next season. The final Irish home game of the 2010 series will bring to a close Ireland’s defence of their 2009 Grand Slam and the relationship with the GAA ground that began against France in February 2007.

The pivotal games for Ireland next season, however, may come back to back against France and England in the second and third matches of the series. After Declan Kidney’s side open their Six Nations program with a home game against Italy, who have yet to beat Ireland in the competition, they travel to Stade de France a week later for the first of their two big games on the road.

The French game in Paris will also hold an additional attraction for travelling Irish fans as it will take in St Valentine’s weekend, with the match scheduled for Saturday, February 13th in a late 4.30pm start. But the Ireland team then have two weeks to recover from what is invariably a bruising contest before going on to Twickenham to meet England.

Last season’s Grand Slam winners, Wales, come to Croke Park for Ireland’s fourth match before the grand finale against Scotland.

After the success of the Friday night fixture this year, which produced the biggest television audience of any French game in France and the second highest average television audience of all 15 games in the 2009 Championship, there will be another Friday game.

Wales will meet France in Cardiff on February 26th under floodlights at 8pm.

2010 SIX NATIONS

(All times Irish)

Saturday, February 6th

Ireland v Italy, Croke Park (2.30pm).

England v Wales, Twickenham (5pm).

Sunday, February 7th

Scotland v France, Murrayfield (3pm)

Saturday, February 13th

Wales v Scotland, (2pm)

France v Ireland, Stade de France (4.30pm)

Sunday, February 14th

Italy v England, Stadio Flaminio (2.30pm)

Friday, February 26th

Wales v France, Millennium Stadium (8pm)

Saturday, February 27th

Italy v Scotland, Stadio Flaminio (1.30pm)

England v Ireland, Twickenham (4pm)

Saturday, March 13th

Ireland v Wales, Croke Park (2.30pm)

Scotland v England, Murrayfield (5pm)

Sunday, March 14th

France v Italy, Stade de France (2.30pm)

Saturday, March 20th

Wales v Italy, Millennium Stadium (2.30pm)

Ireland v Scotland, Croke Park (5pm)

France v England, Stade de France (7.45pm)