Scotland Rugby team is going through to face France, Fiji and Australia in the pool matches in the sixth edition of the HSBC Sevens World Series which will be organised in Hong Kong.

Scotland Rugby Team has been going through a tough time since they faced defeat in Las Vegas and lost their chance to win the championship. They instead returned as runners up. Scotland Rugby Team sees the HSBC Sevens World Series as a chance to redeem themselves but the task is not an easy one. They have strong opposition in France and Australia.

Dan Parks has announced his retirement from international rugby just one game into the RBS Six Nations campaign.

An error-strewn display against England at the weekend, where the fly-half was charged down by his opposite number Charlie Hodgson for the match-winning try, will now be his last in a Scotland shirt.

He will be replaced in the starting XV by Greig Laidlaw when Andy Robinson’s side travel to Wales on Sunday.

The Welsh coach Waren Gatland sees Scotland as favourite against Six Nation title holders, England. The two teams clash on February 4, 2012 at the Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, for their first match of the 2012 Six Nations tournament.

Scotland will next play away against Gatland's team during the 2nd Week of encounters, scheduled for February 12. Wales vs Scotland will be played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Andy Robinson of the Scotland rugby team is quite jovial and happy about the New Year and feels that there is quite a prospect of growth and success for Scotland.

In his New Year message addressed to all the Scotland supporters, he says that this New Year is all about making sure that the club engages in all the age old rivalries formed on the rugby field.

The first match of this New Year with England is definitely filled with a lot of excitement as the fans have not lost their interest in buying the tickets for the match.

Chris Paterson announced an end to his international career in December and he represented Scotland for the last time in their World Cup defeat at the hands of England at the World Cup.

He was awarded an MBE by the Queen in the New Year’s honours list. It is a fitting tribute to Scotland’s record cap holder and highest points scorer.

Scotland coach Andy Robinson is an outside bet for the role of British Lions coach in 2013, but many in Scottish Rugby fear that should he be selected they could lose him as their head for at least a year. Lions’ bosses are thought to want whoever takes charge of the team for the 2013 tour of Australia to commit to a 12 month period to prepare the Lions and ensure they are in the best possible position to give a good account of themselves.

Robinson is currently fourth favourite to take the role, behind Warren Gatland, Shaun Edwards and Declan Kidney but a strong Six Nations campaign from the Scots could see him leapfrog them to lead the Lions down under. If he were to be successful and committed himself to a 12 month preparatory period Scotland would be without a coach for next year’s Autumn Internationals and the 2013 Six Nations campaign.

Scotland rugby union are now searching for a new chief executive. On Tuesday it was clear that times and opinions within Scottish rugby had changed.

His legacy is a much-improved Murrayfield, better business practice and a reduced level of debt.

But his mode of departure told of an actor who's made one too many curtain calls.

Ex-Scotland international Iain Morrison is now a journalist and followed closely Gordon McKie's time in charge of the game in Scotland. He believes that disaffection with the chief executive largely centres on his perceived lack of people skills.

Scotland hooker Fergus Thomson is in danger of missing the World Cup due to injury. Thomson, 27, is facing six months on the sidelines after a recurrence of a shoulder injury resulted in the Warriors forward requiring surgery.

"I'm gutted at missing out on the chance to compete at the World Cup," said Thomson.

Thomson has eight caps for Scotland and featured at the 2007 World Cup.

Robinson expressed his sympathy for Thomson, saying: "It's obviously disappointing news for Fergus but we wish him a speedy recovery."

Ireland defeated Scotland convincingly at Murrayfield but their victory was not confirm that until the end as Scotland provided a stiff resistance.

The Irish scored three tries to none, with Jamie Heaslip and Eoin Reddan going over in the first half.

Ronan O'Gara scored and converted a try after the break to make it 21-9 to Ireland, but Scotland fought back.

Chris Paterson kicked 12 points while a drop-goal from replacement Dan Parks took Scotland to within three points.

The money collected from criminals will help for Scottish rugby. A total of £3.65m from the proceeds of crime will be invested in rugby club activities and facilities over the next three years.

The funds will be administered through sportscotland's capital grant scheme.

The move is part of the Scottish government's CashBack for Communities scheme, which funds diversionary activities for young people.

Scottish Rugby will channel £2.4m of the funding towards enhancing playing and coaching opportunities for youngsters across all of Scotland's 32 local authorities.