The Scotsman
Rainbow Cup will expose pro flaws

Allan Massie

THIS week’s proposals for the so-called Rainbow Cup and for a Scottish, Irish, Welsh and Italian League to replace the Celtic League probably came as a surprise to most of us. But it’s certainly an interesting idea.

Presumably there is some South African money backing the scheme, but to be a success there will need to be a TV deal struck too, and it’s not easy to see which company might be interested.

One can’t imagine any bids from the BBC or other terrestrial channels. There simply isn’t room in their schedules. Sky too may think that with the Zurich Premiership, Heineken Cup and Super-12, Tri-Nations and other home internationals to the southern hemisphere, they are fully extended as far as rugby is concerned. Setanta might be interested; the drawback there is that this is a subscription channel, unlike, for instance, Eurosport. That is a channel which hasn’t shown much - any? - interest in rugby so far. But the Rainbow Cup at least might be tempting bait.

If the scheme becomes reality, then the Scottish pro sides will find themselves fully extended. They will have to show real improvement if they are to make any impression at all. Well, such an improvement is going to be necessary in any case if our international standing is not to sink further. It’s a sad commentary on the game here at present that we would have fewer teams in these competitions than any of the other countries, even Italy.

Numbers aren’t, of course, everything but the fact we are capable of financing only three professional teams - and with difficulty - means there are far more Scots than Irishmen or Welshman now playing in the English leagues. The departure south of this year’s under-21 captain Neil Cochrane will not be the last.

There is one very good reason for ambitious and talented youngsters to accept an offer from an English club - and I don’t mean money. It’s simply that they are likely to get the chance to play a full season’s rugby, as well as experiencing good coaching. They might get the coaching at home - but not the rugby, not, that is, if they have signed on as full-time professionals. Zurich Premiership teams run second XVs or development XVs with a full range of fixtures. Our three pro clubs don’t - and can’t. The best they can offer is a handful of "development" matches a season. Consequently, a young player may find his first pro season very frustrating. If he wants to stay in Scotland he might actually be better to stick with his amateur club for a year or two. At least he will be playing rugby.

The problem may be illustrated by the contrasting fortunes of Rob Dewey and Iain Berthinussen, the two centre three-quarters in our 2004 under-21 side. Both looked very promising players in the Junior World Cup. Berthinussen was offered a professional contract by the Borders, but, not surprisingly, was never more than fourth or fifth choice.

However, because he was a full professional and not an apprentice he was barred from playing for his club side Gala. So he has had very little rugby and now hasn’t, I understand, been retained by the Borders. Dewey on the other hand was not given a pro contract last summer. He moved from his home club Kirkcaldy to Heriot’s and has enjoyed a full season of rugby, and a sufficiently successful one to have been given a contract by Edinburgh now.

The point is that young players on the fringes of the pro teams may not get enough rugby to maintain the improvement that led to the other of a contract in the first place. They would often be better off going south. At least they would play more rugby. It must be immensely frustrating for a promising youngster to be left kicking his heels on the sidelines.

Is there a solution? Perhaps we should have different categories of professional players. I would suggest three: young professional (up to the age of 23), full professionals, and senior professionals, this last group being those coming to the end of their careers. Players in the first and third categories would be permitted to play in our Premiership when not required by their pro team.

There would be two advantages. The Category I pros would get the rugby their likes are at present denied; and the clubs themselves would benefit from their enthusiasm and from the experience of the Category III players.

Such a scheme depends on the approval of the Premier 1 clubs. It’s easy to understand their objections to the fielding of professionals. First, this may sometimes give opposing teams what seems like an unfair advantage - though no more than when one team or the other is deprived of players by calls from the pro teams, as happened to Glasgow Hawks on several occasions this past season.

Second, coaches aren’t always happy to use players who haven’t been available for their clubs’ training nights, and so would prefer to field a XV made up of players they have been working with.

Nevertheless we have to find a way of ensuring that young players get enough rugby and don’t become disillusioned as a result of spending too many weekends without a match.

This article was originally posted on 14-May-2005, 08:20 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 14-May-2005, 08:21.