SCOTLAND rugby coach Frank Hadden, an ex-teacher, has been ranked near the bottom of the class in a remarkable Six Nations appraisal on a top rugby web-site.
The assessment comes from the outspoken Eddie Jones, whose recent credentials include assisting the Springboks to the World Cup, but whose CV also shows he was in charge at Queensland when they bottomed the 2007 Super 14, a campaign which culminated
in a 92-3 defeat.
Also, Jones' tenure as Australia chief saw the Wallabies lose eight out of his last nine games in charge on the way to a 2005 sacking. Despite such mixed fortunes, Jones feels qualified to inform Hadden that he needs to pull his socks up as his Scotland are getting it wrong in the Total Rugby stakes.
Jones said: "Frank, I'd give a C minus. He needs to get a little bit of adventure in his play."
Only one other coach has a lower rating, and Jones adds: "I think they (Scotland) perhaps need to become a bit more inventive and a bit more cunning and take a little bit more risk in terms of their play."
But Jones acknowledges that Hadden has had his moments in a three-year term so far, as an official review of his performance continues.
"What Frank has done is he's come in when Scotland were in a very poor state and he's brought stability," Jones continued.
"The big test is whether he can move the side on."
Ratings from Jones are: Warren Gatland (Wales), A; Marc Lievremont (France), B+; Brian Ashton (England), B-; Nick Mallett (Italy), C+: Frank Hadden (Scotland), C-; Eddie O'Sullivan (ex-Ireland), D.
The full article contains 288 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
