IRB rules Shingler not eligible for Scotland

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has dismissed a Scottish appeal over the eligibility of Steven Shingler.

Scotland had picked the utility back, who is primarily a centre for his club London Irish, in their preliminary squad for this season’s Six Nations championship in January.

But Shingler has already appeared for Wales’s under-20 side, and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) argued this meant he could not represent the senior side of another nation.

The IRB upheld the WRU’s argument because the under-20 side was designated by Wales as their “second XV”. Subsequently representing another team would, the IRB ruled in January, put Scotland and Shingler in breach of IRB Regulation 8.

The panel, which met in Dublin on February 27, agreed Shingler knew playing against France in last year’s under-20 Six Nations would tie him to Wales.

Scotland asked the international board to rethink the decision to deny the 20-year-old London Irish star the chance to play for the country of his mother’s birth.

Shingler, who has made 14 appearances for Wales's under-20s, was born in Swansea and before moving to the Madejski Stadium-based Irish, he played for the Scarlets and for Welsh Premiership outfit Llanelli.

His elder brother, 24-year-old flanker Aaron, made his Wales debut in this season’s Six Nations – coincidentally in a 27-13 defeat of Scotland at the Millennium Stadium – after captain Sam Warburton was forced to withdraw through injury.