Scotland coach Andy Robinson is an outside bet for the role of British Lions coach in 2013, but many in Scottish Rugby fear that should he be selected they could lose him as their head for at least a year. Lions’ bosses are thought to want whoever takes charge of the team for the 2013 tour of Australia to commit to a 12 month period to prepare the Lions and ensure they are in the best possible position to give a good account of themselves.

Robinson is currently fourth favourite to take the role, behind Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards and Declan Kidney but a strong Six Nations campaign from the Scots could see him leapfrog them to lead the Lions down under. If he were to be successful and committed himself to a 12 month preparatory period Scotland would be without a coach for next year’s Autumn Internationals and the 2013 Six Nations campaign.

Should this situation occur it would be likely the Scots would aim to seek a coach to take a high profile coach to take the role on a temporary or caretaker basis. A 12 month period with no real prospect of any longer term deal would make most within the game reluctant to leave permanent jobs, making Scotland’s task ever more difficult. Sean Lineen, of Glasgow and Michael Bradley, of Edinburgh, would be towards the top of any list Scottish Rugby chiefs may draw up but they would be unlikely to risk the instability it could cause at their respective clubs for a temporary role. This may lead the Scots to look towards recalling former coach Richie Dixon, now heading the Georgian National side. The success he is currently having with the Georgia team and his recent comments about as shift in the power base of Rugby could make him unlikely to accept the role if offered.

For Scotland then a successful Six Nations could prove to be a bitter/sweet moment. Yes they would thoroughly enjoy any success, but the backlash and negative impact on their preparations for the 2015 World Cup could prove too damaging for Scotland fans to bear thinking about.

Scotland are about to face Ireland and Italy in International friendlies next year. Ireland visit Murrayfield on Saturday 6 August, with the Italians travelling to Edinburgh a fortnight later. Fans can already buy England Rugby Tickets for their upcoming fixture.

Scotland’s first game at the World Cup in New Zealand is against a yet to be determined play-off winner in Invercargill on 10 September 2011.

The other countries Scotland will be up against in their pool are England, Argentina and Georgia.

Gary Parker says that he is upbeat despite Scotland Women Rugby Union’s defeat. Wednesday’s defeat means the Scots missed out on a play-off place for fifth place and face Ireland in a play-off for seventh and eighth.

“We’ve only been together as a squad for eight months and are a developing side,” said Scotland coach Parker.

“If we can finish seventh, it will be a big achievement for this squad and give us a platform to build on.”

The Scots had already lost to the Canadians as they finished third in the opening group games.

Scotland Rugby Union team manager Guy Richardson will step down from his role following more than six years at the helm. The 45-year-old former army major, who also worked as logistics manager for the 2009 British and Irish Lions, plans to stay involved in rugby.

Richardson’s role with the Scottish Rugby Union included overseeing the administrative and management support for all national teams plus Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh.

The Scotland Rugby Union expect to name Richardson’s replacement before their next fixture, against New Zealand at Murrayfield, on the weekend of November 13-14.

“The work that Guy and his team have put into Scottish Rugby over the last few years has been hugely appreciated by the players,” said head coach Andy Robinson.

“We wish him well in his new role and we will be considering the recruitment process for his successor over the next few weeks.”

Scotland coach Andy Robinson calls for rethink over Premiership player release

Robinson was particularly frustrated given that the international squad departs for a two-Test tour of Argentina next week.

Robinson had hoped there might be some flexibility in the application of International Rugby Board regulation 9, which obliges clubs to release players only within strictly designated Test windows.

The June window, created largely for northern hemisphere sides making overseas tours, does not begin until the end of this week.

The coach claimed on Monday that Gloucester, the only club affected in this instance, had been prepared to agree to an arrangement that would allow their four Scotland players – Alasdair Dickinson, Alasdair Strokosch, Scott Lawson and Rory Lawson – to join the squad this week, but that Premier Rugby Ltd, the English clubs’ umbrella organisation, had blocked the move by insisting on the strict application of regulation 9.

“PRL are upholding regulation 9,” said Robinson, whose reign as England coach was also blighted by club-versus-country issues. “It is their right to do so. But the IRB really does have to look at the regulation.

Craig Chalmers has been warned as to his future conduct after being cleared of misconduct at an independent disciplinary hearing.

The Melrose head coach and former Scotland fly-half faced action from Scottish Rugby over allegations he and centre Jamie Murray acted in an “abusive, insulting, intimidating or offensive manner” towards a match official at a function during last month’s Melrose Sevens tournament.

A disciplinary panel convened by Scottish Rugby on Wednesday night found it would have been unjust to uphold any misconduct charge against Chalmers due to the inconsistency of the oral evidence provided. The verdict will be a relief to the 41-year-old, who spent a night in the cells and was given a £60 fixed penalty after being arrested for a breach of the peace during the weekend of April 10, when the Melrose Sevens took place.

The incident which resulted in his arrest is separate from that which took place on the same day and led to a Scottish Rugby inquiry, triggered by a complaint by the Border Rugby Referees’ Society.

Scottish Rugby said in a statement: “The panel heard from nine witnesses, whose evidence did not paint a consistent picture of the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged incident, though the panel did determine there was an atmosphere of unpleasantness towards the match officials within the Melrose club’s Eildon Suite.

Edinburgh club captain Simon Cross has admitted defeat in his long battle with knee problems and will retire at the end of this season.

The 29-year-old, who has been plagued by injury during the last two years, will turn his attention to coaching.

“My life has been in rugby and I’ve loved the time I have spent at Edinburgh. I’ve been very proud to be part of the team,” said the flanker, who was an unused substitute for Scotland against Wales in 2004. “I could not contemplate walking away and not putting anything back into it. I hope coaching will be my passion now.”

Head coach Rob Moffat added: “Simon has been an influential figure in the club and, in many ways, a model professional. He has made a great effort to build the club ethos at Edinburgh.

“It has been as frustrating for us as it has been for him that injuries have restricted his involvement on the pitch in the last couple of seasons, but I am sure that the same application he brought to his playing career will feature as he takes on a greater role in coaching.”