Hines retires and joins Scotland coaching team

Former Scotland and British and Irish Lions lock Nathan Hines will join the national coaching team on a two-year contract as Resource Coach after he announced his decision to retire from playing the game.

The 77-times capped 38-year-old will join Head Coach Vern Cotter’s team next month as a Resource Coach, to utilise his 11 years of international experience, leadership, technical and tactical skills across the squad.

The appointment will see Cotter and Hines link up for the second time in their careers, after the Kiwi signed the second-row from then Heineken Cup champions Leinster to his Clermont Auvergne team in 2011, after impressing as an opposition player during his time at Perpignan and in Ireland.

On a technical level Hines’ expertise in lineout play will be called upon, while supporting the development of the younger international forwards, alongside assistant coach Jonathan Humphreys.

Scotland Head Coach, Vern Cotter, said: “Nathan has a huge amount of experience, not only in rugby union, but also in rugby league.

“His speciality is the lineout but we have seen, both for Scotland and other teams, that he has a very broad skill set.

“He will be an excellent resource for many facets of our game, particularly lineouts and as a role model for our younger players.

“He has always held leadership roles within the teams he has represented, which has enabled him to become a positive communicator. That will be important as we go into a very tough Rugby World Cup pool.

“Nathan has been involved at the highest level, so his ability to communicate his experiences to the group and to individuals will be very useful.

“He has a lot of passion for Scotland and I know he will get a lot of enjoyment from being part of the development of our players – many of whom are just starting their senior careers – and encouraging them to fill the jersey in the best way possible.”

After the Rugby World Cup Hines’ role will broaden to include work with the country’s two pro-teams – Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors -, the new BT Sport Academies, and Scotland age-grade teams, to help nurture young international players and those coming through the performance system.

Hines said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to help a team I played with for 11 years, and one I obviously want to do well; a team that has given me so much and helped me develop as a player.

“I think that Scotland have got some exceptional young players and I’m relishing the opportunity to help make them better than they already are. They’ve got huge potential and I want to help them in their development.

“The chance to work with Vern again is another great benefit of this role.

“He knows how I work and I know how he works, which might have been part of the decision why he asked me to come on board. We got on really well at Clermont and I’m looking forward to working with him again.”

He added: “Part of helping the team mature is sharing my experience and showing them how not to make the same mistakes I did, on my travels, and in my 11 years playing for Scotland.”

In other news the Scottish Rugby Union have announced that scrum coach Massimo Cuttitta has left the national coaching team for personal reasons after almost six years as a set-piece specialist.

Former Scotland Head Coach Andy Robinson recruited the 69-times capped Italy prop in the summer of 2009 to help strengthen Scotland’s scrum, and be available to the country’s two pro teams.

Massimo worked as a consultant for four years prior to his permanent employment so he was associated with the SRU for almost ten years.