Just two weeks after saying that they were looking for a new role for Alan Tait, the Scotland defence coach, the Scottish Rugby Union has confirmed that he is to stay in place for the tour to Argentina next month. Tait will join the international management team and playing squad to be announced later today while Rob Moffatt, the Edinburgh backs coach, will take charge of the Scotland A team.

There does not appear, however, to be any sign of backtracking on the fate of George Graham, the Scotland forwards coach, who has effectively been replaced by Andy Robinson, the Edinburgh coach and former England head coach.

The apparent U-turn over Tait arose when the union announced that Robinson and Sean Lineen, the Glasgow coach, would be joining Frank Hadden, the Scotland coach, on the summer tour, and that they were talking to Graham and Tait about finding alternative roles. In fact, Tait has never really been off the scene, taking an active role with Edinburgh and generally maintaining a higher profile than before the threat to his position.

The summer tour is also a chance for the likes of Lineen. Though he has made it clear that his focus is still on Glasgow, he is also looking forward to taking charge of the international back division, particularly after seeing the way Nick De Luca and Ben Cairns have been playing for Edinburgh and how Graeme Morrison and Max Evans played last weekend for his team.

“I'm hugely excited by what's coming our way,” Lineen said yesterday. “There's still a way to go in terms of their maturity, but there's some raw talent there. As well as the Edinburgh and Glasgow centres there's someone like Rob Dewey who is coming back from injury, a big, strong lad and another different type of player.”

Lineen believes that the recent blossoming of these players gives him the chance to refresh the style of Scottish back play, which has been caught in a backwater of crash-and-bash rugby for the past few years. The way that Max Evans exploded into the game on his first outing at outside centre means there could soon be genuine competition for a position that has often been a problem for Scotland.

“The more threats you can have across your back line the better,” Lineen said. “Andy Henderson has also got a lot to bring to the party. What has really impressed me about Graeme [Morrison] is that he's done it himself. He's finally realised this was a big season for him and that he is a good player. I'm so pleased for him because I think he's frustrated himself in the past.

“Max [Evans] was outstanding in his first competitive game at No13. His try was great and he set another one up, and he will certainly be going somewhere in the summer. You wonder if it's too soon, but personally I know the guy's got it. He needs games. He's still naive in a number of areas, but he's an athlete, he backs himself.”

Unveiling the Glasgow squad to play Munster on Saturday, Lineen was also able to celebrate another indicator of the new enthusiasm in the side after they won their last four games, with Justin Va'a, the Samoa prop, announcing that he was taking the summer off from international duties to concentrate on Glasgow.

Lineen, also confirming that Va'a is among three front-row re-signings, joining Moray Low and Kevin Tkachuk, said: “I want him on fire next season, so he made the right decision there.I want everyone in the Glasgow squad to be thinking first and foremost about Glasgow. What happens after that is great, but we're developing such a strong team spirit now and, funnily enough, the guys have found they like winning better than losing. It's fantastic that he is prepared to make this sacrifice.”