There will be no post-World Cup clearout of players or coaches for Scotland before the Six Nations but a long-term shake-up is brewing.
Scotland head coach Andy Robinson is happy to take the same coaching staff and squad into next spring starting with the Calcutta Cup game at Murrayfield on February 4, but a ”sage-like figure” with extensive international experience will be sought to join the team for the summer tour to Australia and the Pacific Islands.
Robinson is also seeking more coaching experience for his under-fire attack coach Gregor Townsend, who may be seconded to pro teams or further afield to develop his philosophy further.
He stressed: ”I’m accountable for how the team plays, and I won’t shirk that. Gregor is a very good coach and his work with the players has been very good, especially in bringing on Ruaridh Jackson.”
However Robinson conceded that Townsend, who came into the Scotland post without having had a full-time coaching job in the professional sphere, still needed to develop.
He continued: ”I’m pleased with the way Gregor has been operating and he has a lot of potential to get better as well, but one thing he needs is coaching time and sometimes in the international game you don’t get enough of that.
”We really want to facilitate as much time as possible, and that’s part of the plan we’re looking at for him, so he’s getting that experience. Myself and (defence coach) Graeme Steadman have had that experience with clubs.”
An addition to augment the coaching group is also part of the long-term plan for the next four years.
The coach went on: ”We have is quality coaches working but we have to look at how we become better, how we move the team forward, because every other team will be improving as well.
”We want to identify someone to come in, a sage-like figure with real international experience who can work with us, and help build on what we’ve done.
”There’s an open-mindedness and willingness from the present team for this to occur.”
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On the playing front, while Robinson is impressed with developing young talent at the pro teams, their integration will be handled sensitively.
”The task for me is to bring them in when they can perform at their very best in international rugby,” he said. ”Ruaridh Jackson and Richie Gray have done that and getting the timing right for it is crucial.
”Stewart Hogg, Chris Fusaro and Duncan Weir are delivering for Glasgow and Stuart McInally, David Denton, Grieg Laidlaw, Harry Leonard, Matt Scott and Lee Jones at Edinburgh are all players who are performing consistently well.
”The integration will come when it’s right for them. We will also continue to look at ‘project players’ like Tim Visser he’s been three years here and delivered for Edinburgh in a massive way and it’s right he’s brought in when he’s eligible next summer.
”All players who have the desire, are willing to make the sacrifice and have the ambition to play for Scotland, and whom we believe will deliver and win games, will be picked for the squad.”
A lengthy debrief of New Zealand had confirmed Robinson’s view that the failure to beat Argentina and England were the most crushing disappointments of his career.
”Both the key tries in those games came from us compounding errors, and that, as well as not taking the chances we created and not nailing the drop goal against Argentina were the reasons we didn’t make the quarter-finals,” he added.
”We have example after example of chances we created but didn’t take. If we weren’t creating those opportunities, I’d be thinking we’ve got big issues. But have been and that’s why I have a full belief in what we’re trying to do and where we’re trying to go.
”We got into winning positions and the key is to nail those down and drive on to win games.”