Andy Robinson was today expected to announce whether he is applying for the Scotland job. The former England coach is back from a holiday in France, which he said he would use to consider putting his name forward to succeed Frank Hadden, who stepped down almost two weeks ago.

The Edinburgh head coach names his side for Friday's Magners League tie with Leinster this afternoon, when he will make his first public appearance since returning to the country. With the deadline for applications now less than a week away, the 45-year-old is expected to make plain his decision.

The biggest obstacle to Robinson landing the job has been removed after the Glasgow coach Sean Lineen said he would not be applying and instead backed his counterpart. "I would be amazed if he didn't [apply]," Lineen said yesterday.

The former Scotland centre, who has worked alongside Robinson as a coach in the international set-up, added: "He's great; he's very hands on. I've learned a lot from him from doing one-on-ones with the players. He knows a lot about the game, is very, very enthusiastic about the game and very passionate about rugby and about his team - whatever it is - winning and getting the best from the players."

While Robinson might now appear the only viable candidate, the Scottish Rugby Union was keen to avoid a coronation and advertised for the position. Lineen agreed with that decision, saying: "It's got to be worldwide; you've got to go through the procedures and who knows what that throws up? But I've worked with Andy; I know what he can do."

Despite pulling out of the race this time, Lineen still wants the top job at some point in his career.

Asked when that might be, he said: "I'll know. And it's up to me to force the issue and make sure that I'm in the frame. But, at the moment, you look at where we are and you look at where Scotland is and there's a candidate there."

Robinson's candidacy has not met with universal approval. Despite being part of the England set-up which won the 2003 World Cup, the team went backwards at an alarming rate once he took charge. But Lineen said: "We tend in Scotland to look at the bad things: Andy not having done that well with England. But when you think in our back yard, we have a World Cup-winning coach..."

Lineen also ruled out becoming Robinson's right-hand man should the Englishman get the job.

He said: "I think Andy's got his own ideas of what he wants to do if he does apply for it."