Andy Robinson has urged the IRB to re-examine player release rules after four of his Scotland stars were blocked from appearing.
Scotland coach slams player release rules after four stars blocked
Andy Robinson has called for the IRB to re-examine player release rules after four of his Scotland stars were blocked from appearing against a Japan Select XV.
Premier Rugby Ltd, who represent Guinness Premiership clubs, have banned Gloucester's Rory Lawson, Alasdair Strokosch, Alasdair Dickinson and Scott Lawson from appearing in Tuesday night's non-cap match at Murrayfield.
Robinson, who insisted that Gloucester had no objection to releasing their players, expressed his frustration at the intervention of PRL
The Cherry and whites have not played a competitive match for more than three weeks and are not due back in action for another two and a half months.
"Gloucester were happy for us to play their four players, said Robinson. "But PRL said they were not happy with that.
"Basically, the PRL are upholding regulation nine and it is their right to do so, but what that brings into question is that the IRB really has to look at regulation nine again," continued Robinson.
"Because I would agree that it is very important during November and the Six Nations, but with Gloucester not having a game, it is affecting the players' ability to train and play."
The IRB introduced a new regulation nine in January 2009 in an effort to create an equitable framework for the release of players by clubs for international duty.
The regulation states that players must be made available to their national team during certain pre-agreed windows.
But because tomorrow's match is being played outside the summer window, there is no requirement that Scotland's Gloucester contingent should be released.
England have been able to bypass the regulation because the Rugby Football Union is paying the Premier Rugby around £110million over eight years up to June 2016 to ensure beneficial player-access rights.
