It was neither the most romantic nor the most convincing of reconciliations, but yesterday's public kiss-and-make-up between Vern Cotter and Clermont Auvergne appears to have dynamited any immediate possibility of the New Zealander taking over as Scotland coach before his official start date of next June.
Amid rumours in the French media that yesterday's scheduled meeting of the Clermont management board would end with the 51-year-old's sacking, the club released a statement to confirm that Cotter would remain in place to the end of his contract.
While maintaining the official line that it was always their intention to "appoint" Cotter 12 months before he could actually start his new job, senior Murrayfield sources have confirmed privately that they would be delighted to get their man earlier. What they are not so excited about, presumably, is the idea of handing over the kind of substantial sum Clermont would demand for agreeing to release their coach early.
The Clermont communique said: "President Rene Fontes, his successor, Eric Cromieres, and the board of directors have unanimously approved the proposal of Jean-Marc Lhermet, athletic director and vice-president, to maintain Vern Cotter in office for the sports season 2013-14. In this context, the ambitions of the club to do better than the previous season remain unchanged."
Clermont's announcement came after a week of fiasco, obfuscation and embarrassment for all concerned, its most ridiculous episode occurring when Clermont officials claimed that Cotter had tendered his resignation to the club just minutes before the coach fronted a press conference in Edinburgh and said precisely the opposite.
Yesterday, however, Cotter appeared ready to shoulder the blame for the confusion, pledging his future to Clermont in contrite tones.
"There was clumsiness on my part and a lot of misunderstanding that has been publicised more than I would have liked," said Cotter. "I now have only one desire – to draw a line under the last week and turn to the next season where we have great ambitions.
"I am pleased the club trust me for next season and I am very determined to have a beautiful finish to my Auvergne adventure."
The latest development in l'Affaire Vern cast a cloud over the Scotland party's preparations as they settled into their training base in Durban ahead of Saturday's Castle Lager Incoming Series match with Samoa in the South African city. Yet despite
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