Och aye, mate, it's McTodd

Scottish rugby underwent its second convulsion within two days yesterday when former All Black captain Todd Blackadder was appointed as assistant coach to the national team.

Blackadder will work under a fellow Antipodean, Australian Matt Williams, who has taken over from Ian McGeechan after the team's quarter-final exit from the World Cup last month.

McGeechan will become the Scottish union's director of rugby.

The other Scotsman to feature in the upheaval, Bill Watson, lost his job as chief executive, which says something about the way things are going north of the border.

The links between Scotland and the Southern Hemisphere have been steadily strengthening since the game was declared open in 1995.

Many "kilted kiwis" have found their way into the test team - th Leslie brothers, Gordon Simpson, Glenn Metcalfe, Brendan Laney and Cameron Mather among them - and in recent seasons, the Scots have also adopted some stray Australians.

Andrew Mower, Robbie Russell and Nathan Hines all made the World Cup squad.

Now, outsiders are beginning to dominate the Scottish coaching structure.

Former Highlanders coach Tony Gilbert was appointed to head the new Borders' professional franchise, and Blackadder was lured away from his native Canterbury with a big-money offer from the Scottish capital.

His impact was immediate - a gifted but under-motivated Edinburgh side toughened up their act within weeks of his arrival in November 2001.

David Mackay, the new-broom chairman of the Scottish Rugby Union, gave Blackadder the most glowing of endorsements yesterday.

"The very qualities that Edinburgh identified in Todd when they signed him - unrelenting dedication, tireless work ethic and skill with people - have seen him become an influential figure in Scottish rugby," Mackay said.

"He is a New Zealander, but he has demonstrated a considerable commitment to Scotland and believes passionately in giving his all to improving rugby here."

Blackadder, 32, played 12 tests, 10 as captain, between 1998 and 2000, and led the Crusaders to three successive Super 12 titles.

He said he wanted to return Scotland to being a force in international rugby.

"I'm very much looking forward to working with Matt Williams and coaching the Scotland forwards," said Blackadder.

"It's going to be a great challenge. We have to get Scotland back to where I believe Scotland should be, and that's at the top of world rugby.

"It's going to take a lot of hard work, sacrifices and dedication, and I certainly believe that we have the players here to do that.

"My job will be to give the boys the tools so they go out and do justice to the Scotland jersey."

Williams believes Blackadder's leadership and integrity will be an example to Scotland's players.

"His experience as a winning captain in international rugby with the All Blacks and as a winning captain in the Super 12 and NPC will be invaluable to our squad," said Williams. "You only need to look at the effect he has had on young and seasoned professionals alike at Edinburgh and to the improvement he has brought to their game to understand the significance of his appointment."

Blackadder will continue playing for Edinburgh until his contract expires in May, which will be something of a relief to the club, because of the demands of the Heineken Cup campaign.

The only games he might miss are those that fall on the weekends of the Six Nations Championship

Williams, who coached Leinster to a Heineken Cup semifinal last season, will appoint the remainder of his coaching staff this month.

- INDEPENDENT, AGENCIES