“Mighty Mouse” Ian McLauchlan, one of the greatest ever players for Scotland and the British Lions, has been elected unopposed as the next president of the Scottish Rugby Union.
McLauchlan, who succeeds Jim Stevenson, won 43 caps and skippered Scotland 19 times during a glorious playing career that lasted from 1969 to 1979.
He was also a key member of the legendary British Lions touring parties that won successive series in New Zealand (1971) and South Africa (1974).
A successful businessman these days, the former prop was nominated by the union’s member clubs and no candidate was named to contest the position, so one of Scottish rugby’s most respected figures will take up his post after the SRU annual general meeting at the end of June.
“My aim will be to strengthen rugby in Scotland and assist in any way I can to help the clubs to build, the pro teams to build and the national team to build,” said McLauchlan.
Meanwhile two of Scotland’s brightest stand-off prospects will be fast-tracked this summer as national head coach Andy Robinson seeks to broaden his options for the key position.
Alex Blair (19) and Duncan Weir (18) have both signed professional contracts for next season with Edinburgh and Glasgow respectively and the pair will gain advance promotion for the two championships Scotland will be involved in over the next few months.
Blair, the youngest brother of Scotland co-captain Mike, is to be in the Scotland A squad defending the IRB Nations Cup in Romania next month, while Weir is to take Blair’s place as the lead No 10 for Scotland Under-20s as they play in the IRB World Championship in Argentina.DevelopmentScottish Rugby performance director Graham Lowe and Robinson have identified increasing experience of young stand-off prospects as a key element in the national team’s development and Blair and Weir as the possible inheritors of the jersey worn by Ian McGeechan, John Rutherford, Craig Chalmers, Gregor Townsend and latterly Dan Parks.
“We believe it makes sense that we look at the opportunities to which we can expose some of our up and coming young talent over the summer,” said Lowe.
“So, in discussion with Scotland under-20 head coach Eamon John, we are recommending that Alex will now be part of the Scotland A squad for the IRB Nations Cup in Bucharest.
“Duncan, who has already been part of the Scotland under-20 squad this season and a key figure for the national under-19 team, will now be involved with the Scotland under-20 squad for the IRB Junior World Championships.”
Robinson added, “We spoke earlier in the season about our desire to develop stand-offs and both Gregor Townsend and Duncan Hodge have been working on that project.”
Edinburgh’s senior assistant coach Nick Scrivener and former Scotland hooker Stevie Scott, who has fulfilled the role of specialist throwing coach with the national team this season, are to join head coach Sean Lineen as the key management personnel for the Scotland A trip to Romania.