Edinburgh Evening News
BILL LOTHIAN
SCOTTISH Rugby is today gearing up for a £1million investment from the public purse as the Scottish Executive prepares to endorse the great Murrayfield revival.

Representatives from BT Premiership Division One clubs left a near three-hour meeting with the game's chiefs last night with claims ringing in their ears that the Executive might now be prepared to increase funding.

Peter Blackhall of Boroughmuir, who was elected chair of a working party to oversee the best club structure to support the national side confirmed that a sum of £1 million from the executive had been bandied around although sources have told the Evening News that figure could be nearer £1.5m.

Blackhall said: "One delegate told the meeting of a £1m investment pending that will be announced in due course and this would be extremely good news."

But while welcoming new cash Blackhall said distribution to ensure clubs are not neglected was important at a time when there was general agreement academies for the likes of Edinburgh Gunners had to be the chief recipient to bridge gaps in developing age-group players.

One example of these up and comings who can ensure Calcutta Cup successes like last weekend's 18-12 win over England occur more than once every six years is Murray Bringhurst, the teenage Watsonian utility back.

Blackhall, careful to refer to the presence of Murrayfield luminaries Gordon McKie (chief executive), Andy Irvine (president) and national coach Frank Hadden as "colleagues" reflecting the role clubs rightly see for themselves at the sharp end of development, said: "One decision we (clubs) have made is in the vision that Scotland's team is most important.

"Our colleagues made it clear they did not want us playing cross-border matches which were to fill a gap through leagues ending earlier when players were removed for representative matches.

"Premier One clubs meet again next month but before then a group of us will get together and work out proposals for the second half of the season."

Blackhall said calls to scrap plans for a league reduced from 12 to ten teams would be resisted until further talks against a background of upheaval on several front took place.

"There is a possibility that age-group internationals will be removed from Six Nations weekends anyway and under the improved academy system more players will be given some form of apprenticeship (central contract).

"Peter Wright (Scotland under-19 coach) and Iain Paxton (Scotland under-21s) were at the meeting and argued that the system wasn't working since players were being confronted by rivals training full-time and new proposals might see youngsters train daily in the districts and turn out for clubs at weekends," said Blackhall who is expected to be joined on the working party by Currie's Iain Russell.

Meanwhile, Scottish Rugby bosses today conceded that the prospect of a mini-Murrayfield based on a reduced capacity stadium for Edinburgh Gunners has moved a step forward. "Meetings have taken place between Ken Oliver, the architect who has devised plans for using temporary seating on the running track to create a more compact ground and stadium manager Mark Laidlaw," said an SRU spokesman. "As a consequence the idea has been added to a number of options being considered."

Oliver, the former Gala and Scotland No.8 now based in Dunfermline, says he has been asked to provide costings and is providing his services free at this stage.

It has been estimated that 2000 seats could be provided for approximately £240,000 with the facility being rented out for other events.

Oliver said: "Ideally temporary seats could be taken outside on Six Nations days which is the only occasion they would not be used."

It is understood bosses are also looking seriously at moving Edinburgh Gunners to a club ground - possibly Boroughmuir, Watsonians, Heriot's or Stewart's/Melville.

This article was posted on 2-Mar-2006, 12:00 by Hugh Barrow.