That would see a rise in the current 27,000 male and female numbers to 38,000.

Head of community rugby Colin Thomson said: 'The numbers may sound ambitious, but what they mean is that, if each club currently playing the game can raise an additional 14 players a year, each year in senior, junior clubs or in local schools or mini sections and retain them then we will hit our target.”

Edinburgh and Glasgow are aiming to reach the quarter final stages of the European Cup at least once by 2012.