The SRU have confirmed Scotland will no longer hold three-day tests against South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, at least for the next eight years.
Scotland's absence from New Zealand's tour schedule for the next eight years has been explained as a decision taken by the SRU, contrary to reports. It had been suggested the Scots had been snubbed by the All Blacks, when they unveiled their future plans earlier this week.
National coach Andy Robinson and performance director Graham Lowe no longer favour prolonged tours of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Instead, Scotland will travel for one-off matches against the three for the foreseeable future, while also hosting the trio nine times in six years between 2012 and 2018.
France, England, Ireland and Wales are all booked up to play the three, who are collectively known as SANZAR, on tours scheduled until 2018.
“I am very pleased with the tours schedule,” Robinson told the SRU website. “We have a first-rate programme of autumn Tests incoming to Murrayfield, which are important for our rugby development.
“As far as our overseas tours are concerned I do not believe it would be beneficial for us to play a series of three Tests against the individual SANZAR countries at the end of our season.
“What I believe works for us, from a performance perspective, is a mix between SANZAR and Tier 2 unions as that gives us the opportunity to develop players which is part and parcel of touring."
"More than anything I'm just relieved to be playing again, the Wallabies was just more of a bonus if I made it."Lowe, who left the New Zealand Rugby Union to take up his post with the SRU last October, added: “Like Andy, I firmly believe that the schedule, as outlined, will assist with our rugby development and importantly develops solid relationships with some of world rugby's emerging nations.”
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