SCOTLAND rugby chief executive Gordon McKie today blasted suggestions that Saturday's visit to Twickenham could be national coach Frank Hadden's last game in charge regardless of the result.
And McKie is also arguing that a supposed two-wins-per-Six-Nations-Championship target had to be seen in the context of an average quota during the SRU's entire five-year strategic plan.
"Speculation that this is Frank's last game is somewhat pre
mature. I will carry out a review with coaches, selected players and others on the periphery of the national team and reach our conclusion and share it with the Board-" said McKie, who added: "We review the performance of the national team after every series be it world cup, autumn tests or six nations.
"It can take anywhere between two and four weeks; I suspect Frank will want a break after the Six Nations."
Regardless, McKie's claim regarding how the results target is worked out will strike many as disingenuous since that could lead to a coach being held responsible for someone else's successes – or otherwise.
What McKie was, however, keen to stress was a need not to be painted into a corner by statistics.
"We will take into account all factors including how unlucky were we, frustration of dropping a ball and losing the game. How competitive were we. World rankings. Do we believe the future is rosy?"
On Scotland's latest displays, including Saturday's 15-22 defeat by Ireland at Murrayfield, McKie said: "Without making excuses I think we have been unlucky. Against Ireland we lost one line out and we lose the game.
"Overall, the performance against Ireland was a good one.
"If we win at Twickenham that will be the first time we have won in 26 years which would be a good end."
McKie said he had no regrets about setting targets.
"I've no regrets about being explicit; everyone knows what we are measured against - myself, Frank Hadden, pro teams coaches, most people in Scottish Rugby (organisationally).
"The strategic plan is a five-year document which measures winning ratios over a five year period.
"The 40 per cent statistic was an average over that period that reflected prior ratios in terms of winning.
"We felt that was realistic having regard to our status as a tier one nation and our size, playing the Sanzar (Southern Hemisphere) teams etc.
"It is one of many variables including number of home based players, the number of players coming from professional teams, the number of players coming from the academies to professional teams."
McKie was speaking at Edinburgh Castle during the launch of the engage Super League magic weekend which will see top rugby league games played at Murrayfield on May 2-3.
