News: Leinster are set to lose Willie Anderson as their assistant/forwards' coach in light of the former Irish captain being formally offered the position of assistant coach to the Scottish national team yesterday.

Anderson is keen to accept the role and all that remains is for the the two unions to negotiate a settlement for the last year of his current contract and the former Ireland captain will be able to link up with Matt Williams for the Scots' summer tour to Australia.

Commenting on the Scots' formal offer yesterday, Anderson said: "I'm delighted to be offered the position as assistant coach to the Scottish national team. It's a great opportunity to get back into international rugby again. It's a fresh challenge and an exciting challenge."

Nevertheless, coming hot on the heels of Declan Kidney's departure to the Gwent Dragons as head coach, it seems a crying shame Irish rugby is losing another highly regarded and established indigenous coach. Aside from the carrot of working at international level again, Anderson's disappointment at having been overlooked for the head coaching role at Ulster (twice) and Leinster would undoubtedly have been a contributory factor in his departure.

"I've enjoyed working with the international players at Leinster in the last three years as well as helping to develop players in the Celtic League team every bit as much. Despite having had three very positive interviews for the position of head coach with both Ulster and Leinster I'm disappointed to be leaving Ireland without being given one of those opportunities."

Certainly, no one can accuse him of disloyalty. Though ostensibly working as one of the IRFU's regional development officers back in the early 1990s, Anderson was the de facto Irish forwards coach for two years - which featured the 1993 and '94 wins over England. He then spent two years coaching Dungannon, and two years at London Irish, before returning to Dungannon to a four-year stint which took in their 2001 All-Ireland League title win.

During his last three years at Leinster, they won the inaugural Celtic League final against Munster two seasons ago and reached the semi-finals of last season's Heineken Cup, while he also coached the Irish team at the under-19 World Cup.

Interviewed and chosen by a panel comprising Williams, the Scottish director of rugby, Ian McGeechan, and the Scottish chief executive, Phil Anderton, Anderson said pointedly: "I'm honoured that the Scottish RFU have been sufficiently impressed with my CV to make me this offer and I'm looking forward to re-uniting my partnership with Matt Williams. This has been a friendship and a working relationship which dates back to 1991."

For some Leinster players, more probably backs, Anderson has been described as operating on a "work-to-rule" this season, while for others, more likely forwards, his stock has risen this season. He certainly kept his counsel and a lower profile, and as to his own performance he merely stated: "I an very satisfied with the last three years' work which culminated this year in achieving over 85 per cent possession of our own lineouts and over 30 per cent of the opposition's possession."

Anderson said he would still be available to continue in certain aspects of the development programme in Ireland, such as coaching courses, and added: "I would genuinely hope to one day be coaching in Ireland again."

Reggie Corrigan, the Leinster captain, admitted Anderson would be "a massive loss", adding: "He's one of the best forwards' coaches in the country. He seems to have had some issues with things in the past but his work with the pack especially has been fantastic. His technical ability, his knowledge and enthusiasm, are second to none. People don't realise how hard he works, in at seven in the morning going through lineouts and videos. He really works very hard."

"I would be sorry to see him go," admitted Malcolm O'Kelly. "But it's a great move for him. We couldn't expect him to decline the offer and no players would begrudge him leaving. We'd wish him all the best. He's one of the best, there's no doubt about that, and he'll put Scotland through their paces alright."