THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
DAVID FERGUSON IN PORT ELIZABETH

GORDON McKie has confirmed that no potential investors from the Borders have made it through to the final draft as the SRU prepare this week to make the call on moving a professional team into private ownership.

The SRU chief executive arrived in Port Elizabeth on Friday and represented the union at Saturday's second Test with South Africa.However, his mind quickly returned today to the pressing matter of pro rugby in his home country and he will be back at his desk this afternoon preparing for the next board meeting on Thursday.
"That is the big meeting for us right now and the future of the professional teams is the main item on the agenda," he said. "We are down to two, possibly three, potential investors whose credibility we have tested and, at this stage, are happy with. We still have to fully understand their plans and that will be getting fine-tuned in the next few days.

"But we have none left specifically wanting to buy into the Borders, which is surprising because, initially, most of the interest came from the region.

"The remaining interest is in Glasgow and/or Edinburgh, but we now have to get down to working out the implications for playing and coaching staff, facilities and whether it will actually work. The Edinburgh coaching position is also pressing, but we can't move until Thursday on that. Where Glasgow will play next season is another big issue and contrary to the reports that we have committed ourselves to years at Whitecraigs, we are speaking with several clubs, including Whitecraigs, on where the team might train over the next few seasons, depending on whether they remain with us or have some private investment. There are a number of plates spinning at the moment, and on Thursday we have to grab them and get moving."

Graham Burgess, the Aberdeen oil businessman who first approached the SRU two years ago to register an interest in investing in a professional side, and his business partners Roy Carver, a rugby-mad US billionaire, and Kenny Logan, the former Scotland wing, have emerged as the leading contenders to become the first private investors in Scottish pro rugby. Burgess's preferred option is to move Glasgow to Stirling or Perth, but he might be persuaded to stay in Glasgow should the Scotstoun redevelopment appear to be on the horizon.

McKie added: "Private investment could help us secure the other two teams, but we could still persuade a potential investor to invest in the Borders - that's not out of the question yet either.

"So, while I'm hopeful we will get an investor, even if we don't quite yet, we may try to keep three teams going with reduced investment in one. But, whether it is us running the teams or a private investor it has to be said that we need the crowds to improve because if they don't we'll also now look to move them to places like Perth or Aberdeen, where bigger, new crowds might be developed."

This article was posted on 19-Jun-2006, 07:24 by Hugh Barrow.