The players are to be withdrawn so that they can prepare for Scotland's friendly international against the Barbarians.
Frank Hadden, the Scotland coach, has defended his decision on the basis of the pre-international protocol.
It gives him the power to withdraw national team players from games played in the week prior to internationals.
"It tells you how important I see our game against the Barbarians on May 31, days before we leave for the tour to South Africa to face the Springboks, that I prefer to rest some of our key players the week before," said Hadden in The Herald.
"The successful home games in the Six Nations proved why it's important to do so, but always within reason."
Hadden was Edinburgh coach when Neath-Swansea secured the Celtic League title by beating them last year.
Ahead of his last game in charge at Edinburgh, Todd Blackadder - who took over when Hadden was appointed Scotland coach earlier this season - is on record as saying he does not want them to fulfill the same role this year. But if Ulster, the leaders, slip up away to Ospreys, a win for Leinster over Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Friday would secure the title for the Dublin side.
Border Reivers need to win this weekend to guarantee their place in next season's European Cup; defeat would leave the door open for Glasgow Warriors to overtake them if they can win in Connacht.
Privately, there is disquiet among the SRU-owned pro team managements about the decision.
Hadden denied his actions were hypocritical - even though he was among the fiercest critics of the centralist approach of Matt Williams, his predecessor as Scotland coach.
"I've talked to all three pro team coaches and we plan to work out a sensible way through what is, inevitably, a very busy series of games for us all," Hadden said.
"I am hugely supportive of the Celtic League and Heineken Cup and Todd, Steve [Bates, the Reivers coach] and Sean [Lineen, the Warriors coach], know this. I'll be looking to discuss with them the possible knock-on effects.
"I plan to be as flexible as I can while, at the same time, looking to give our players the best possible chance of international success."
Scotland's home-based players have had three of the last eight weekends off because of their failure to reach the knockout stages in Europe.