THE HERALD REPORTS
KEVIN FERRIE September 26 2006

If Jim Telfer permitted himself a moment to consider the implications of what he was watching at Netherdale last Friday, he must have been a much-chastened man.
Self-doubt was never a characteristic of the great man, but even he would be hard-pressed to justify this. Another abject performance by the Border Reivers, another even more dismal showing by the Borders community as, not for the first time, fewer than 1000 joined him in supporting their side.
And for this, Telfer, pictured, was chiefly responsible for putting Scottish Rugby into hock. Could it possibly have been worth it? Those of us who - back in 2002 when the decision was being made - supported his case for placing a third professional team in his native region on the basis that tradition and local passion for the sport had earned the Borders that right ahead of better business arguments elsewhere, were not party to all that Telfer should have known.
Recently Ken Scobie, the Scottish Rugby Union's non-executive chairman at the time, said he had warned those then running the sport that they were facing a financial black hole in 2003 because participation in the World Cup meant there would be no autumn Tests.
If Telfer did not know that, then even more lies were told in the corridors of power than we previously knew about. The losses incurred that year plus the year-on-year costs of running professional rugby are why current administrators are dealing with £23m of debt.
Saying so is not to detract from Telfer's status as the most important figure in Scottish rugby history. A fine player and a coach, he was a visionary administrator in the early days of professionalism.
Yet he succumbed to the same failing he often accused others of in allowing his vested interest to overcome the greater good. He allowed his passion for the Borders to blind him from fiscal reality.
What of Telfer's legacy, then? Suggest moving the team and some Borderers will smugly mention the 20-year contract the SRU negotiated with Gala RFC, who host the pro team.
Business is business, they will say, their attitude sadly reminiscent of the days when it was said of one leading SRU administrator that his priorities were, in order: himself, his club, then Scottish rugby.
Gala RFC would doubtless be within its rights to hold Scottish Rugby to ransom if there was any suggestion of moving the pro team to a venue that might attract greater public and commercial support.
Another option is to scrap the team, picking off the best players to supplement squads elsewhere, but even if that would prevent Murrayfield from throwing more good money after bad, it would be a tragedy after all that has been invested in it.
Frank Hadden, the Scotland coach, recently told me the only Scots with the qualifications to take over as Edinburgh Gunners head coach were George Graham and Alan Tait, but that neither of the Reivers assistant coaches had applied.
Steve Bates, the Reivers head coach, was meanwhile described as having pushed Hadden all the way for the Scotland job last year.
While the salaries being paid to some are surely being questioned, there are also many top-quality players and promising youngsters on the Reivers books.
However professional they are, it must be debilitating to know they will only get to play in front of decent crowds when on the road or when celebrity players are visiting Netherdale.
Gordon McKie, the SRU's chief executive, and Allan Munro, their chairman, were also among that paltry few who watched Newport-Gwent Dragons ease to victory on Friday.
Modern administrators who look forward rather than back, they know this is an issue they must address soon.

This article was posted on 26-Sep-2006, 06:49 by Hugh Barrow.