Andy Robinson: Quits as Scotland boss
Andy Robinson has resigned as Scotland coach following Saturday's shock 21-15 loss to Tonga at Pittodrie.
He had been under contract until after the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Robinson released a statement on Sunday morning which said: "It's been a privilege to be the head coach of Scotland and I'd like to thank the fans, players, coaches and staff for all their support over the years.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the players and the coaches in the last few years.
"I believe I have left the team in a better position than when I took over and have great confidence in the players and the coaches for the future.
"I am very disappointed by our recent results but I have belief in the players to develop into a winning team."
Scotland have lost 10 of their last 13 matches, including elimination from the World Cup at the group phase for the first time.
The Tonga defeat was the 19th in Robinson's 35 matches in charge and comes at the end of a calendar year which began with the Six Nations wooden spoon.
Robinson's most recent wins were on the June tour to Australia, Fiji and Samoa, and his era ends following a 51-22 loss to New Zealand, a 21-10 reverse to South Africa and the Tonga debacle which leaves Scotland in 12th in the provisional IRB world rankings.
Scottish Rugby Chief Executive Mark Dodson hinted Robinson would have been pushed if he had not jumped.
"Following the sequence of recent results during the autumn Tests a change in head coach is required to take the team forward and build towards the Rugby World Cup in 2015," said Dodson.
"I have passed on to Andy Scottish Rugby's thanks for his hard work and commitment during his term as national coach.
"Andy has overseen some fine results as Scotland head coach since he was appointed in June 2009 but the recent defeats have been very disappointing.
"Andy is an outstanding leader and a fine coach and we wish him well.
"I'd like to thank our fans for their great support during the autumn Tests and look forward to welcoming them to Murrayfield for the home games against Italy, Ireland and Wales in the 2013 Six Nations."
The search for Robinson's successor will begin immediately, with assistant coach Scott Johnson a contender.
Former South Africa and Italy coach Nick Mallett may also consider the role worth the challenge.
Comments
carpelone says...
kybone
Well said. Prowhatever12 is rubbish.
Clearly he put all his passion and mind in the job, he tried to work out softer international test schedule to allow Scotland regain some position, but the results are not there. He talked Scotland up a bit.
Posted 16:41 25th November 2012
daveyboyo says...
@sonofsamoa, who are these great players you speak of? I can think of 2 (Visser and Grey) and there are much better options in the home nations if we're thinking Lions. I think the scots dont realise how bad their team is.
Posted 16:34 25th November 2012
melkdave says...
LOL i forgot to say who i think will take over.S.Lineen or S.Johnson are firm favourites imo.I dont think Scotland will attract Mallet or Deans if he goes ect,Jusy havent shown enough promise in the last few years for them to chance their arm and reps.
Posted 15:30 25th November 2012
new_j4a says...
Far better off to keep Robinson and get a new team...keep Richie Gray as well...fire the rest....import players from the SH like Ireland and England.
Posted 15:15 25th November 2012
melkdave says...
To be honest im a bit surprised AR has decided to go,after years of working with under par asst coaches .He finally gets a some renowned ones,yes the results this aurtum have been disappointing,but in the summer they where bloody fantastic ,to put it mildly.Its maybe one disappointment to much ,which has made him decide to go .Scotland take a step forward ,only for them to lose ground the following campaign.The players have to take a long had look at themselves imo,With only two teams packed full of international players ,why have they never challanged for silverware in the Pro12 for starters,is it that the league is meaningless ,as they know they are guarrented HC rugby,no matter what,so never really have to give 100%.I feel it is players become used to offering a certain leval of effort ect,and thus when they come to the international areana .They just cant consistently up their game ,thinking that their effort levals in Pro12 matches will be enough,when clearly they arnt.So scottish rugby in the doldrums atm ,welsh rugby in the doldrums ,and despite Irelands good win over Argentina irish rugby is in the doldrums,as we all know Ireland only play 2 fantastic games a season atm .The Pro12 needs radical overhauling,the games have to mean something to the players and fans ,there has to be consequences for losing matches somehow incorpatated ,otherwise its a waste of time as a league, and Scotland ,Wales and Ireland will continue to struggle with consistency at international leval.
Posted 14:35 25th November 2012
Ramage says...
OMG here is georgesmith again spitting out his venom against Robbie Deans and calling him a loser coach lol in an article about the coach of Scotland resigning. The difference is Deans has Australia ranked 3rd a drop of just one place when his team is decimated by injuries. What georgesmith is too thick to understand is that Oz doesnt have the depth of players below its few talented Internationals and when they are injured they have little to call on. This is being made worse with the number of Kiwis the Super teams have signed up for the coming year. OZ coaches have seen the amount of talent on show in the NZ ITM cup and as OZ dont have a competition of their own they are now paying the price and signing up as many Kiwis as they can.
The SRU have themselves to blame for their own lack of vision going back to the days of the introduction of Professionalism which they fought tooth and nail to stop. Then because of some inept financial management got themselves severely into debt. This has plagued Scottish rugby for when they put bankers in charge their answer was to burn and slash and so the great plan for four Pro teams was stopped. The Borders team abolished and the Highlands team never started. Now they only have two Pro teams and so little to call on. Those who have run Scottish rugby over the years have much to answer for because this once proud rugby nation has been brought to its knees by inept leadership and by people with a total lack of vision. It is sad because I believe Scotland have some of the most loyal fans you could find anywhere in the world and their support of their team shows up people like georgesmith a whinger and fairweather fan of Oz rugby.
Posted 14:09 25th November 2012
celticspirit says...
Can't say I am surprised. It is a bit of a shame because he is actually a good coach IMO. Some good wins vs. SH opposition which no Scotland team had managed for a while. Plus a lot of the losses, notably at the WC vs Argentina (for which I would still blame Wayne the shame Barnes) and England and again England in the 6Nats could have or even should have been wins... Coach can't be held responsible for players knocking on on a 2-on-1 overlap. You can also only deal with what players material you are given.
Having said all that there were quite a few dodgey personell decisions and substitutions. And a win-lose ratio of well under 50% and ranking 12th in the world are quite plainly not acceptable for a Scotland team, no matter what some arrogant SH or orthers may say who obviously don't know about the Scottish Rugby heritage.
Thank you Andy Robinson for instilling some belief in the team again, though, and getting some very positive developments which we all hope (North of the border) are just the eginning of a new dawn.
Moving on, I hope the people in charge make the right decision and as I am currently not available myself, I believe they could do a lot worse than Nick Mallett or Scott Johnson (maybe even combined). I wonder what happened to the homegrown riches of Scottish coaching since Telfer, McGeechan and to a much lesser extent Hadden.
The new coach couldnt ask for an easier start than Italy at home in the 6Nats (which is still no guaranteed win), so let us hope for the best.
Posted 13:47 25th November 2012
thistle_dave says...
Ok agree he had to go, and you can point to some bad tactics and game plans in some of the recent defeats - the game plan in the 1st have against the Boks and yesterday's substitutions as examples - but I've always thought that for the most part he did the best with what he had. International coaches shouldn't need to coach basics but apparently we still can't secure restarts or make decent attacking decisions when we've got 3 man overlaps but decide to go up the blindside etc. Fundamental issue is that any Scotland coach is hamstrung by the SRUs pro team policy which should be all about feeding players to Scotland but apparently isn't set up that way. All in all, he moved us forward and I think still had close to a winning record against the SH teams. Would like to see Lineen get the job but the SRU won't have that so maybe S Johnson or Mallet?
Posted 13:47 25th November 2012
Cdn_content says...
Feel sorry for Andy, but they weren't getting the results. Their decision making at times puzzled me. Look at the end of the tonga game. They clearly weren't dominating the scrum yet they pushed to try and get a penalty try rather than having a go and trying something with the backs. Shows a lack of self belief, counting on the ref to win the game rather than taking it into your own hands.
Mallet maybe? But is he the man? Hasn't won a tonne lately. I'd pick a coach whose been winning alot, despite the level (could come from club) or a former player who won alot. What they need is a winning attitude more than anything.
Posted 13:40 25th November 2012
paddy91317 says...
Nick mallett would be a great coach for scotland
Posted 13:05 25th November 2012
scot_rsa says...
So long-term thinking isn't the answer clearly. Bladdy SRU blameless again despite doing stuff all to develop Scottish rugby except set off a couple of fireworks before the game. Clueless. Who would work for them? And again the scottish fans suffer. We're doomed. Doomed I tell ye!
Posted 12:54 25th November 2012
georgesmith says...
Great news. If you can't do the job then just let go of it instead of fooling yourself and others too. R. Deans, the Kiwi clown-coach should learn from this and do us all a favour. Just go back, you loser coach.
Posted 12:48 25th November 2012
Sincero says...
Feel a bit sorry for him- not a great job to have in this era. Come on, Scotland... Those days are past now
And in the past they must remain
But ye can still rise now
And be the nation again!
That hammers England
On a yearly basis
And sends them hamewart
Tae moan again!
Posted 12:48 25th November 2012
NHsaints says...
I don't see this as Robinson's fault, he's always set the players up well going into the matches, they just seem to keep throwing away results by leaking tries at important times...
Posted 12:19 25th November 2012
LondonWasp says...
As an englishman, I am surprised the Scots kept him as long as they did... thought this would have happened a lot sooner...
Posted 12:00 25th November 2012
damo says...
This is criminal news for scots he has unearthed some gr8 players and with their crusader coming onto the wing and max evans hogg and visser their combative pack they are in a better position than ireland with kidney at the helm. I feel very sorry for a good manager. Parks missing link at 10 in their last few games laidlaw at 9
Posted 11:56 25th November 2012
kybone says...
Im not that surprised actually, but what will it really change? Scotland have had several different coaches in the past decade, and throughout that time they've had the same issues on the field. Those issues generally being down to a lack of basic skills. I also feel that the Scots have now lost their hard edge. In the past you could always rely on Scotland to be tough and physical, especially at the breakdown. Now they don't even have that. For instance, some of the tries conceded against the AB's would have been considered soft in an u12's game. For me, its the Pro12 that is responsible for creating this 'soft culture' and it hasn't improved the Scots skillset like they thought it would. Im not sure that simply bringing in a new coaching team will change that.
Posted 11:54 25th November 2012
sonsofsamoa says...
About time.. Scotland need a change.. And they deserve a change.. They have great players .. But there just no real self belief in the team at the moment..
Posted 11:39 25th November 2012