Steve Shingler will remain in Scotland's Six Nations Championship training squad but the management may bring in another player as back-up.
Following the International Rugby Board's announcement that it currently considers the London Irish midfielder to be committed to Wales, the Scottish Rugby Union sought IRB clarification as to whether he could remain in Andy Robinson's plans pending appeal. They have been told he can, the only restrictions applying to playing representative matches or taking part in representative tours.
The 20-year-old still has a chance of being available to play should the IRB decree in his favour when his case moves to the next stage. That will happen after Mike Miller, the IRB's chief executive, decides whether the case should go before its regulations committee or its judicial committee. Indications are that once he does it could be dealt with relatively quickly. Thereafter, there is still scope to appeal to the full IRB Council, but they will not meet until later this year.
The level of confusion that has been generated by precedent, with two of Shingler's Wales Under-20 team-mates of the previous season having been decreed not to be committed to one country in identical circumstances and the fact the player refused to sign a document pledging himself to Wales, should weigh in his favour at some stage in the appeals process.
In the meantime, there was a placatory tone to the statement made yesterday by the Welsh Rugby Union, saying: "It is important all players informed of their potential senior selection status now or in future are left in no doubt about the authority of the regulations and protocols in place. The case of Steven Shingler could not be left untested because of the impact on all other players."
That seemed to imply that while the Welsh felt they had to press this point in order to establish a principle in the longer term, they may be prepared to show some understanding if and when a hearing into his particular circumstances take place.
The impact on Scotland's plans will be minimal since it likely Shingler would not have forced his way into the squad at any stage. Far more likely is that he would have been considered for the A team, if only in a bid to commit him permanently to Scotland.
It is consequently far from essential that Robinson decides to bring another player into the squad.
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