Rugby: Scotland keen on New Zealand tour

Scotland's obsession with New Zealand rugby is expected to continue in May and June when new coach Ian McGeechan hopes to take his squad on an eight-match tour, including two internationals.

Wales were asked but have decided not to travel overseas next year, but Scotland are keen to take on New Zealand again following their gutsy showing in the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday.

Dates and fixtures have still to be negotiated for Scotland's second trip in four years.

The director of the NZRFU rugby services division, Bill Wallace, has discussed the tour with his Scottish counterparts in Edinburgh and a union spokesman yesterday said Scotland, the reigning Five Nations champions, were "very likely to come out."

Dunedin, with its Scottish heritage, is a likely test venue. The timing of the tour depends on how it could be fitted around the annual Tri-Nations series and next year's Super 12 programme, which should be known next week.

Although Scotland lost 18-30 to New Zealand at Murrayfield after being 3-25 down at halftime, McGeechan and Jim Telfer, the veteran coach who has since stood down, believe the Scots are learning to match the All Blacks after 21 attempts without success.

"One of our players said he had learned as much in the first 20 minutes of playing against New Zealand as he had done in all his international career. He reckoned in the second half that we had come to terms with the intensity of the game," Telfer said.

McGeechan was enthusiastic about another trip to New Zealand, saying: "It's the competition you want. That's what the lads said after [Monday]." - NZPA