SCOTT MacLEOD has been ruled out of Scotland’s final Autumn Test with Samoa next Saturday after suffering a rib injury in their stunning victory over world champions South Africa.
Second row MacLeod made his first Scotland start in more than two years as Andy Robinson’s men beat the Sprinboks 21-17 at Murrayfield, with Dan Parks kicking six penalties and a drop goal.

But the 31-year-old was forced off in the first half and loosehead prop Allan Jacobsen, who disrupted the South Africa scrum throughout the contest, suffering a shoulder injury which threatens his inclusion next week, too.

Scotland will now fancy their chances of winning the Six Nations after clinching their fourth victory in five Tests as they recovered from the humbling 49-3 loss to New Zealand.

Scotland skipper Rory Lawson said: “The conditions were really brutal. It was all about being together and working hard for each other.”

Buy online Six Nations Scotland V Italy Hospitality Packages with the best prices available! We are covering in Scotland V Italy 2011 Six Nations Hospitality and Tickets

Scotland V Italy Hospitality

2:37 AM
Categories: Scotland V Italy Hospitality, Scotland V Italy Hospitality Packages. Author: Autumn International 2009

Wales coach Warren Gatland brought the matter to the fore a few days ago when he branded the hard line taken on player release for the World Cup by Premier Rugby Limited (PRL), the English clubs' umbrella organisation, as "completely ridiculous."

Speaking after his announcement of a 34-man provisional Scotland squad to play New Zealand in the first of next month's autumn internationals at Murrayfield, Robinson suggested he would not rule out any player due to release problems, but conceded that the issue could cause individual difficulties for those attached to English clubs.

Scotland V Italy Hospitality

"I flagged up the problem at the Japan game last season. It's really an issue for the IRB to be dealing with. We've been working with the IRB, the RFU and the PRL ever since that game to make sure that we have a solution that is right for Scotland for the World Cup.

"This is about player welfare and what's best for a player. My whole focus is on getting the best preparations for a player to perform on the world stage. The discussions that we've been having with the RFU and the PRL have been positive, and we're pleased with where we are currently.

"We've asked for the players to be released earlier and those discussions are ongoing. But we will not be paying for the release of players."

Italy V Scotland Hospitality

Robinson has brought four uncapped players into the squad which will start the build-up to the New Zealand game at a training camp in St Andrews over the first three days of November.

Of those, Glasgow fly-half Ruaridh Jackson seems the likeliest to figure against the All Blacks, if only as a replacement, although scrum-half Greig Laidlaw and full-back back Jim Thompson, both of Edinburgh, and Northampton utility back Joe Ansbro will have plenty of chances to press their cases over the next few weeks.

Jackson moved up the No10 pecking order when Phil Godman suffered the serious knee injury that brought his season to a premature end. However, the 22 year-old has been in fine form for his club, playing with a maturity that was not always evident in his earlier appearances for Glasgow over the past two seasons. If Dan Parks does not shake off the foot injury he picked up with Cardiff recently then Jackson could even make the starting 15 against the All Blacks.

Scotland V Italy Hospitality

Laidlaw, a nephew of former Scotland and Lions scrum-half Roy, has also put in some strong performances recently, albeit mainly as backup to Mike Blair at Edinburgh.

Thompson, who also boasts a rich rugby ancestry as a grandson of the late Bill McLaren, was unlucky not to be capped on Scotland's summer tour of Argentina, where he was an unused replacement. Ansbro's selection was perhaps the greatest surprise, but Robinson put him in lofty company in explaining his selection.

Italy V Scotland Hospitality

3:43 AM
Categories: Italy V Scotland hospitality, Italy V Scotland hospitality packages. Author: Autumn International 2009

The shelf-life of a top rugby coach seems to be getting longer. Warren Gatland has just signed up for another four years in charge of Wales, Graham Henry will have spent seven years as All Black coach by the time the World Cup comes around. Sir Clive Woodward also had seven years at the helm of England. The penny seems to be dropping across the world that consistent Test success is not conceived overnight.

Scotland V Italy Hospitality

It depends, clearly, upon which country you happen to be coaching. Wales have not beaten New Zealand since 1953, so criticising their present coach for failing to topple the All Blacks is a bit like slagging off Max Boyce for failing to sing like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. The key is whether a coach still looks and sounds energised and whether his players are still listening. In both cases Gatland cuts the mustard; if Wales did not want him, someone else definitely would.

The first thing the RFU will have to decide is how Johnson's record stacks up relative to the resources at his disposal. Currently it reads P21 W9 D1 L11, almost identical to Sir Clive's - P21 W9 D2 L10 - at the same stage. Under Woodward, though, England lost only 12 of their next 62 games. Johnson only has 12 matches before the World Cup in which to demonstrate that everything is set fair. Not many World Cup champions stutter into the tournament wondering where their next win is coming from.

If England can carry the momentum of their summer win over Australia into the autumn series, it would clearly give management and players a sizeable boost. Seven of England's next nine games are at home, which makes life appreciably easier. Injuries are also less of a problem, for now, than they were last year. So, no excuses. Eight wins from the next dozen games followed by a World Cup semi-final and Johnson can dictate his own terms through to 2015.

Buy online Six Nations Scotland V Italy Hospitality Packages with the best prices available! We are covering in Scotland V Italy 2011 Six Nations Hospitality and Tickets

Italy V Scotland Hospitality

6:26 AM
Categories: Italy V Scotland hospitality, Italy V Scotland hospitality packages. Author: Autumn International 2009

Scottish Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. It is the second oldest Rugby Union, being founded in 1873.

Scottish Football Union was founded on Monday 3rd March 1873 at a meeting held at Glasgow Academy, Elmbank Stret, Glasgow. The SFU was a founding member of the International Rugby Board in 1886 with Ireland and Wales.

In 1924 the SFU changed its name to become the Scottish Rugby Union. International games were played at Inverleith from 1899 to 1925 when Murrayfield was opened.

Italian Rugby really came to prominence in 2000 when it was added to the Five Nations, creating the Six Nations. Originally on the end of some heavy defeats, the side has grown in competitiveness, recorded a fourth place finish in 2007, and even in defeat, lop-sided losses are becoming far less frequent. Italy is ranked eleventh in the world by the IRB as of 21 June 2010.

Italy has also competed at every Rugby World Cup since the first tournament in 1987, but has to progress beyond the first round. Their best showing thus far has been in 2003 and 2007 where they managed two wins during the pool stages.

Six Nations Scotland V Italy Hospitality Packages with the best prices available at Corporate Hospitality Group. We are covering in Scotland V Italy 2011 Six Nations Hospitality and Tickets.

Scotland V Italy Hospitality 

Italy V Scotland Hospitality

6:41 AM
Categories: Italy V Scotland hospitality, Scotland V Italy Hospitality, Six Nations Hospitality. Author: Autumn International 2009

Chris Paterson is facing a battle to be fit for Edinburgh Rugby's inaugural trip to Italy on Saturday and a meeting with Magners League new boys, Aironi.

Scotland cap record holder Paterson limped off three quarters of the way through Edinburgh's revitalising 32-24 win over Leinster last Friday and has subsequently been receiving treatment for a foot injury.

"He is now under the care of Edinburgh's medics but it is too early to say whether he will be available for the trip to Aironi."

Paterson, whose career was briefly in doubt when he split a kidney on his 100th appearance for Scotland against Wales last February, has played in all four club matches since resuming at the start of the current campaign.

His presence in the squad would be especially welcome this weekend because, with Phil Godman a long-term casualty and Alex Blair on Commonwealth Games sevens duty, Edinburgh will be stretched for back-up to David Blair at the stand-off position.

Full back Paterson's versatility has long been a key asset and if he misses the Italy trip then 20-year-old Tom Brown, his successful replacement last weekend, could start for the first time.

Alternatively there could be a switch from centre for Ben Cairns unless Jim Thompson shakes off knee trouble and makes a seasonal re-appearance.

Stand-off cover could then be the responsibility of James King or Gregor Hunter, neither of whom have been in the match-day squad this season.

Buy online Six Nations Scotland V Italy Hospitality Packages with the best prices available! We are covering in Scotland V Italy 2011 Six Nations Hospitality and Tickets

Scotland V Italy Hospitality

1:29 AM
Categories: Scotland V Italy Hospitality, Scotland V Italy Hospitality Packages, Scotland V Italy Tickets. Author: Autumn International 2009