THE SCOITSMAN REPORTS
McKie denies talk of exodus from pro teams
DAVID FERGUSON
GORDON McKie yesterday sought to allay fears of an exodus of players from Glasgow and the Borders by insisting that a better Celtic League, rather than more investment in the professional teams, would create a brighter future.

However, the SRU chief executive admitted to discrepancies in the funding of the pro sides, with the Borders the poor relations and consequently the most vulnerable to losing players.

The victories of Frank Hadden's Scotland squad last month instilled a feel-good factor throughout Scottish rugby, and underlined how important the national side is to the sport. However, below this level there remains uncertainty, fuelling concern among players.

Talk of an exodus might be wide of the mark as just four leading Scots have left in recent weeks, and Phil Godman, the Edinburgh fly-half, and Borders flanker Scott Gray are re-signing. However, there is growing unrest, at the Borders in particular, with fears that more could yet leave.

The Netherdale side have lost Scott MacLeod and Nikki Walker to Llanelli and Neath-Swansea, respectively, with the Welsh clubs able to double the money the players earned at the Borders. Concern now centres around Scotland tighthead Bruce Douglas, international hooker Ross Ford, capped full-back Stuart Moffat and prop Tommy McGee who have all yet to re-sign, raising the question of how competitive the Borders will be next season.

Some are understood to have offers from clubs in England or France worth significantly more than is on the table from the SRU. Going in the other direction is prop Gavin Kerr, who has joined the Borders from Leeds.

Of the other pro teams, Edinburgh have lost scrum-half Rory Lawson, to Gloucester, and Glasgow's Andy Craig, an international centre, has joined Leeds. Like the Borders, Glasgow have been told there is not an increased budget available to attract a top-quality replacement. In striving to tackle the concern, McKie called a press conference yesterday and expressed confidence things would improve.

The chief executive explained that less than £5million per year is being spent on the three teams, including overheads and salaries, and admitted that Edinburgh had up to £150,000 more to spend on players than the Borders - the equivalent of one or two internationals - with Glasgow "somewhere in between".

"For us to significantly increase our investment in the pro teams would not be affordable," McKie said. "So what we're trying to do is protect our investment in the pro teams and, in time, hopefully, reduce it, with the teams being more successful, but also by increasing revenues from things like sponsorship, gate money and commercial and banqueting.

"But that does not mean to say that we can't afford six-figure salary players. Why is Edinburgh more successful? Because it's a more mature team and has had Frank Hadden at the helm for a number of years. Scott MacLeod is a loss, undoubtedly, to the Borders and to Scotland, but he got an offer we couldn't come close to. Nikki Walker was also made a fantastic offer which, with our bench-marking, we were not prepared to come near. And Rory Lawson is third-choice [for Scotland], and wasn't guaranteed a regular game at Edinburgh, and felt his longer-term career would be better served by going south. We respect that decision.

"Gavin Kerr is a good signing for the Borders. We're delighted to secure his services. I also expect us to conclude discussions with a number of other players, ideally not this week while the Six Nations is still on, but if we have to we will. And then, once the championship is over, we'll go back in and start discussing with all the other players whose contracts are expiring and conclude it much earlier than last year." McKie has been praised by signed players for starting negotiations many months sooner than his predecessors, so averting the panic of recent years, and he insisted that the SRU was not turning into a 'selling club' in an effort to cut wages and lower the union's £23million overdraft.

He said: "We are committed to all three pro teams. We don't want to invest millions more in them because I want to invest in grassroots community rugby. I feel it is important than we grow more players in Scotland who can ultimately feed a winning international team. It would be irresponsible of me to throw millions at the pro teams when their results and attendances have been so poor, for little financial return. If that return can come from growing our own talent in the medium term which ultimately feeds the national team then the finances of the SRU will be better for it."

The chief executive also ruled out outside investment in the near future. Instead, he is hopeful that an improved Celtic League format, currently being thrashed out with the Welsh and Irish, will deliver increased sponsorship and broadcast revenues, and bigger crowds.

This article was posted on 15-Mar-2006, 08:10 by Hugh Barrow.