Hadden agrees rolling contract

Scotland head coach Frank Hadden has agreed a new rolling contract with the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU). The performance-related deal sets out a notice period and formal reviews, the first of which is scheduled for November 2008.

"It was a huge honour in 2005 to be offered the opportunity to coach Scotland and it remains a real privilege to be asked to continue in the role," Hadden said this morning.

The former schoolteacher stressed yesterday that the delay in signing a contract was merely down to "red tape".

The 53-year-old's contract extension is reward for improving the national team's fortunes since replacing the struggling Matt Williams, initially as a caretaker, in spring 2005.

It is in stark contrast to the IRFU's decision to grant  a four-year extension to Eddie O'Sullivan's deal before Ireland's dismal World Cup campaign that ended nearly as soon as it began.

Hadden guided his country to third place in the 2006 Six Nations with the help of famous victories over England and France.

Serious injuries to the likes of skipper Jason White hampered this year's campaign, when Scotland ended up with the wooden spoon, but their four defeats included a one-point loss to Ireland and a freak start against Italy, which saw  the Azzurri score three tries in the opening seven minutes.

Scotland avenged that defeat by pipping the Italians to a quarter-final spot at the World Cup, where they lost 19-13 to Argentina.

Hadden's task of continuing the progress was set out in writing earlier this month when the SRU published their five-year plan.

The governing body demanded that Scotland reach the quarter-finals of the 2011 World Cup, improve their Six Nations win rate from 25 per cent to 40 per cent and win the tournament at least once by 2012.

"Obviously there are strategic goals that have been made public, but there are also private targets which we want to keep to ourselves," Hadden said yesterday.

"The gist of it is that we have nothing to fear in the Six Nations, and we'll be doing everything we can to get the first win under our belt against France and give ourselves a chance to do something really special in the Six Nations."

Hadden also hinted that Alan Tait and George Graham will be kept on as assistant coaches on a full-time basis, and more details may be revealed at a Murrayfield press conference this afternoon.