Hadden explains Barclay snub

Frank Hadden insists John Barclay has not been made the scapegoat for Scotland’s RBS 6 Nations defeat by Ireland after dropping the flanker for Saturday’s clash with England.

Glasgow forward Barclay has started the last eight games for his country but yesterday found himself the odd man out when head coach Hadden unveiled his team for this weekend’s trip to Twickenham.

Barclay, 22, was one of the players at fault for Ireland’s decisive try in Saturday’s 22-15 defeat at Murrayfield but Hadden denied he was being punished for a poor performance.

“That’s definitely not the case,” he said.

“When you sit down and select, obviously you look at the opposition you’re playing, you look at what all the squad can bring to the table, you discuss every position in detail, you discuss the units, the balance of the units. There are so many factors.

“It’s not just about guys not playing well so you’ve got to fill a space. That’s not what it’s all about at all.”