91Èȱ¬

Scotland assistant coach Duncan Hodge is to return to his former club, Edinburgh, after this year's World Cup.

The former Scotland stand-off will become the club's backs coach, joining head coach Alan Solomons and assistant coach Stevie Scott at Murrayfield.

Solomons said he had no doubt Hodge would "add value to the club".

"I want to coach, to be able to help young Scottish players get better," said Hodge, who played for Edinburgh from 1994 to 2003.

"I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to do that at a club that means so much to me.

"I spent many happy years with Edinburgh as a player and know a lot of the current players well, through my role with the Scotland national squad.

"To get to work with the players throughout the season, as opposed to short bursts, will be great and I'm really looking forward to developing as a coach with Alan and working alongside Stevie."

On leaving Edinburgh 12 years ago, Hodge had a two-season stint with Leeds Tykes, then returned to the club from 2005 to 2007.

At the end of that season he was employed on a part-time basis as specialist coach at Edinburgh Rugby, Glasgow Warriors and the national team, going full-time in 2012.