A question mark had hung over the Edinburgh Gunners, Glasgow Warriors and, especially, the newest professional team, The Borders, after the departures of David Mackay and chief executive Phil Anderton from the SRU.

But SRU interim chairman Fred McLeod has vowed to maintain the three professional sides for the next three years with additional funding.

He said: ''Our recent review has made it abundantly clear that our three professional teams are central to the development of Scotlands international teams.

To that end, we must demonstrate a clear commitment to our professional tier.

While we remain committed to seeking external investment for our professional teams, we must also look to create a more stable environment in which they can operate.''