Hadden's side face New Zealand, South Africa and Canada next month © Getty Images

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The Scottish Rugby Union today defended the decision to take their row with English clubs over player release to the International Rugby Board - despite claims they were forced into an embarrassing u-turn over the matter.

Yesterday, the SRU announced the IRB had finally ruled over how long Scotland head coach Frank Hadden would have to prepare his squad for next month's autumn internationals. The ruling instructs Guinness Premiership teams to release their Scotland players 12 days before the November 8 Test against New Zealand.

Hadden had wanted them two weeks prior to the game, whereas Premier Rugby - the umbrella organisation representing Premiership clubs - had insisted they were only obliged to stick to a five-day release period. The outcome appeared a minor victory for Hadden, but Premier Rugby last night claimed it was a replica of a deal they offered Scotland back in July.

PA Sport understands the IRB actively discourages member unions from negotiating directly with Premier Rugby, preferring them to deal with other member unions and individual clubs. The SRU would not comment on Premier Rugby's claims they rejected a summer deal but did insist they were right to involve the IRB in the dispute.

"It had to be taken to the IRB for a ruling, not just for Scotland," a spokesman told PA Sport. "It's not about narrow self-interest. It's not about parochialism. It's about the important point of principle, the importance of the international game and developing the game worldwide."

Hadden was desperate to secure as much preparation time with his squad as possible, with the outcome of the November Tests against the All Blacks, South Africa and Canada vital to Scotland's ranking going into the 2011 World Cup draw. The SRU spokesman added: "The key thing is we now have some clarity and we are now able to plan with certainty for three vitally important games."

The IRB ruling also contained a crucial caveat, which states Premiership clubs reserve the right to recall their players on October 30 for EDF Energy Cup matches on the weekend of November 1-2.

"It is exactly what we offered them in July," Premier Rugby's Phil Winstanley told PA Sport last night. "We offered Scotland the three days: the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; the 27th, 28th, the 29th - which is what I understand the IRB have reinforced."

Hostilities between the SRU and Premier Rugby escalated last month when the latter refused to allow Scotland's 10 Premiership stars to attend a training session at Murrayfield. Premier Rugby insisted they were not obliged to release players for such get-togethers, only matches.

The organisation last year signed a multi-million pound deal with the Rugby Football Union, which now sees England players released two weeks before matches as well as for a number of training sessions. There is no such deal in place with the SRU.

The ruling announced yesterday was a temporary fix for a problem that has dogged the game since the advent of professionalism 13 years ago. Rugby's world governing body are set to meet at the end of next month in a bid to rubber stamp a new Regulation 9, which governs player release. It remains to be seen whether this will prevent future conflict or will be simply another fudge.

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