EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS REPORTS

Accies coach Barnes insists SRU should hand over cash
BILL LOTHIAN
MURRAYFIELD bosses have come under fierce pressure to use a new sponsorship deal to reinstate prize money for club competitions.

The attack has been led by Edinburgh Accies coach Ian Barnes, who insists clubs can expect to see none of the "substantial six figure" deal from Scottish Hydro Electric unveiled last week at Murrayfield.

"See that pig flying past the window," was Barnes' reaction when asked how the cash might eventually be distributed.

But the claims - made on the current edition of Scottish Rugby Radio - were today rejected by Murrayfield bosses. An SRU spokesman said: "The question was asked [at the sponsorship launch] about whether money would be ring-fenced and the answer was yes.

"The question was also asked about how money would be split and that is a matter for clubs, the Scottish Rugby Council and the groups clubs are directly involved in. These include forums for each of the three premiership divisions and also the national league. Discussion has to take place with the clubs; that is what happens in a democracy."

The spokesman pointed out that Premier One clubs are due to meet tomorrow night when opportunities might exist to discuss how the cash is used.

Barnes, though, is adamant that one of the main priorities will be reducing the SRU's £23million debt. He said: "It will just get paid into the black hole. Administration charges and another layer of administrators is what it will be used for. The money will go into [appointing] development officers. I don't think it will get out of Murrayfield. There has to be prize money and the six-figure sum has to go to clubs. Quite honestly I don't think the SRU represents clubs."

This article was posted on 9-Jan-2007, 20:24 by Hugh Barrow.