Scotland coach Gregor Townsend and Murrayfield chief Mark Dodson have agreed to salary deferments as the Scottish Rugby Union accepts the coronavirus shutdown is likely to have major consequences for "some time to come".

Townsend, plus his counterparts at Glasgow and Edinburgh, Dave Rennie and Richard Cockerill, and SRU performance director Jim Mallinder has each agreed to a 25 percent deferral.

SRU chief executive Dodson will defer 30 percent of his wages from 1 April through to 1 September.

The decision was taken during a conference call last Friday, when the SRU's executive and non-executive directors also agreed to a 25 percent deferral.

Murrayfield bosses spent last week surveying the damage caused by the cash-flow crisis sparked after sport was forced into lockdown a fortnight ago.

The news comes as the 2019/20 domestic rugby season in Scotland has been classified as null and void - and so joining Irish, Welsh and Italian counterparts in coming to this outcome. 

Critics have pointed out that in particular Mark Dodson - who was paid a total of £933,000 in wages and bonuses last year - has only agreed to suspend a chunk of his hefty salary rather than accept a pay cut for the duration of the pandemic threat.

But SRU sources insist that this is only the first step taken by the board and further measures - including making use of the government's furloughing scheme and pay cuts for staff and players - may yet have to be considered the longer the shutdown goes on.

Scotland's final Guinness Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff has already been shelved and may not be played until October.

And the SRU has also now admitted there are major doubts over whether the summer tour to South Africa and New Zealand will go ahead.

Meanwhile, work on Edinburgh's new 8,000-capacity stadium on Murrayfield's back pitches has also been put on hold until after the government lifts its call for social distancing