http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/scottish/3650035.stm Thursday, 22 April, 2004, 13:20 GMT 14:20 UK Scots tackle fitness gap Scotland coach Matt Williams has moved to tackle what he sees as a lack of fitness among the nation's rugby players compared to their rivals. Williams announced a special fitness testing session for his national squad. And he said: "It's an area that we've all made good progress in and, in many ways, this is the fittest Scottish side that we've put out. "But, When we compare ourselves nationally, we find that we are behind in certain areas." Williams was loathe to criticise his predecessor, Ian McGeechan. But there is a perception among some in the game that the way Scotland have wilted in the latter stages of recent games was indicative of a general trend, not only among its top rugby players but the fitness of the nation as a whole. "However, a national-based testing regime will resolve that situation, " said Williams. "This squad is a group that we've got together for a fitness testing session on Monday at the Scottish Institute of Sport in Stirling." "This session is the first step. "Ian McGeechan is here with me today because this is an area of Scottish rugby that he has worked on previously as national coach and has been of great assistance and leadership to me and now, as director of rugby, we are working together to provide the resources to improve the standard of fitness." Both Williams and Ian McGeechan will work with coaches at all levels and stress the importance of setting fitness standards. "We've had a series of meetings with the pro-team coaches and Ian has just come out of a meeting with the district academy coaches in order to set up a nationwide standard of fitness testing protocol that will come from the national team downwards," said Williams. "The national fitness coach, Marty Hulme, introduced this to the senior team around 18 months ago and we plan to move it down through the pro-teams and age-grade levels." --

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