Writing in The Scotsman, Allan Massie believes Scotland's player access complaints stem from their own failures.
"The England rugby squad are all Martin Johnson's for a fortnight before the opening of the Six Nations, and have been disporting themselves in Portugal – except for three unfortunates who have been sent home to get "game-time" with their clubs, which, they will doubtless be reflecting sadly, means no game-time for them against Italy on 7 February.
Meanwhile, Frank Hadden will be deprived of a third of his squad this weekend, as they return to be available for their clubs in England and France.
"Tough luck, and both Frank and the SRU chief executive Gordon McKie have been muttering darkly about there being no level playing field. They're quite right of course, but there's no point in girning. If Scotland, like Italy, are in this position, it's entirely because we have failed to make a success of the domestic professional game."
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